Six leaders from South Korea's largest Buddhist order have quit after a video surfaced showing several monks playing high-stakes poker, drinking and smoking, Reuters reports.

"The stakes for 13 hours of gambling were more than 1 billion won ($875,300)," Seongho, a senior monk who uses one name, told Reuters. "Basically, Buddhist rules say don't steal. Look at what they did, they abused money from Buddhists for gambling."

In the video, which aired on South Korean TV networks, men from the Jogye order are seen sitting cross-legged on a floor playing cards, some smoking and drinking. The incident allegedly happened after a gathering at a luxury lakeside hotel in late April for a fellow monk's memorial service.

Seongho told Reuters he had reported the incident to prosecutors. Gambling outside of licensed casinos and horse racing tracks is illegal in South Korea and frowned upon by religious leaders.

The scandal erupted just days before Koreans observe a national holiday to celebrate the birth of Buddha, the holiest day of the religion's calendar, according to Reuters.