Kangwon Land, the operator of South Korea’s only casino open to local patrons, has announced that it will commence a pilot operation of a ‘Foreigner Exclusive Game Zone’.
According to Maeil Business Newspaper, Kangwon Land’s interim CEO Choi Chul-kyu says that the zone is to allow foreign tourists more convenient access to the casino.
“We will continue to expand the number of foreign visitors this year to enhance our status as a global complex resort and contribute to revitalizing the national tourism industry,” stated the executive.
The new pilot operation comes after permission to change casino business restrictions in September of 2024.
This includes a $128 million investment to construct a ‘second casino business site’, expanding its casino size to 20,260 square meters and increasing table numbers to 250, with machine units rising to 1,610.
In the pilot foreigner-only segment the betting limit will rise from KRW100,000 ($70) to KRW20 million ($13,800), eventually increasing to KRW300 million ($207,000) when fully operational.
The company says that it welcomed nearly 24,300 foreign casino visitors last year, up by 5.8 percent yearly.
Last year, the group reported net income totaling KRW455.38 billion ($316 million), up by 33.6 percent yearly.
