South Korea’s foreigner-only casino operator Grand Korea Leisure Co. (GKL) reported an 8 percent year-on-year increase in casino sales in 2025, supported by growth in both table games and slot machine revenue, according to its interim business performance disclosure.
GKL posted full-year 2025 casino sales of KRW425.33 billion ($294.3 million), up from KRW393.69 billion ($272.6 million) a year earlier. Table games remained the core revenue driver, generating KRW385.49 billion ($266.8 million) for the year, a 7.5 percent increase year-on-year. Slot machine revenue rose at a faster pace, climbing 13.1 percent to KRW39.44 billion ($27.3 million).
The growth shows a steady recovery in foreign visitation to South Korea over the course of the year, with GKL’s performance widely viewed as an indicator of inbound tourism trends, particularly among Japanese and Chinese travelers.
In December alone, GKL recorded casino sales of KRW36.30 billion ($25.1 million). Of this total, table games accounted for KRW33.07 billion ($22.9 million), while slot machine revenue reached KRW3.23 billion ($2.2 million). On a year-on-year basis, December casino sales declined 6.4 percent compared with the same month in 2024, as table games revenue fell 7.4 percent, partly offset by a 5.6 percent increase in slot machine takings.
Month-on-month, December casino sales were down 13.0 percent from November, reflecting a softer performance toward the end of the year.
GKL also disclosed that the amount of drop, or customer purchases of gaming chips, totaled KRW3.73 trillion ($2.58 billion) for the full year, representing a 1.5 percent increase from 2024. December drop amounted to KRW330.37 billion ($228.6 million).
GKL operates two casinos in Seoul, at Gangnam Coex and Hilton, as well as one casino in Busan. The venues cater exclusively to foreign visitors, positioning the company as a key gauge of international tourism demand in South Korea’s gaming sector.
