Part V: Regional & Cultural · Asia-Pacific Regional Terms

5.3 Foreigner-Only Casino (South Korea)

South Korea — Regulatory/Legal

South Korea’s casino law restricts most casinos to foreign nationals only — South Korean citizens are prohibited from gambling at all casinos except Kangwon Land. There are currently approximately 17 foreigner-only casinos in South Korea, including major integrated resorts such as Paradise City (Incheon), Jeju Shinhwa World, Jeju Dream Tower, and Mohegan INSPIRE. These properties cater primarily to Chinese, Japanese, and Southeast Asian tourists. The foreigner-only model limits the domestic market but was designed to capture international tourism revenue while minimizing social gambling problems.

In practice

The foreigner-only model has been debated in South Korea, with some arguing it limits the industry’s growth potential. Kangwon Land’s recent introduction of a foreigner-only zone with higher betting limits represents an effort to compete for international VIP players.

One entry from the Casino Industry Glossary — 1,157 terms written for surveillance, compliance and operations professionals rather than for players. Definitions describe industry usage; where a term carries a regulatory meaning, verify against the instrument that governs your jurisdiction.