South Korea’s casino industry showed a strong jump in 2025, with Gross Gaming Revenue (GGR) jumping 15 per cent year on year as more visitors returned to the country’s leading resort destinations.
Figures released by the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism showed that casinos generated roughly KRW 3.70 trillion ($2.52 billion) in gross gaming revenue during 2025. The total was up 14.6 per cent from the previous year and pushed the industry comfortably beyond 2019 levels, before the COVID-19 pandemic brought international travel to a halt.
The figures cover all 18 casinos operating in South Korea, including foreigner-only venues and Kangwon Land, the country’s only casino where local residents are allowed to gamble.
Visitor traffic also continued to recover. Casinos welcomed just under six million visitors during 2025, up more than 12 per cent from the previous year and close to pre-pandemic levels.
Most of growth from foreign visits
Much of the growth came from foreign-only casinos, which generated around KRW 2.26 trillion ($1.54 billion) in revenue, a yearly increase of more than 21 per cent. Visits to those properties also rose sharply as regional tourism demand strengthened.
One of the strongest performances came from Jeju Island, South Korea’s popular tourism destination known for its foreigner-only casino market. The island’s eight casinos generated combined gaming revenue of more than KRW 646 billion ($440 million) during 2025, while visitor numbers jumped nearly 38 per cent.
Government data also showed younger visitors are playing a growing role in the market. More than half of all casino patrons in Jeju during 2025 were in their 20s and 30s.
Lotte Tour Development emerged as the island’s dominant operator through its Jeju Dream Tower property, which accounted for more than 80 per cent of Jeju’s gaming revenue. The casino reported particularly strong growth as visitor numbers surged throughout the year.
Meanwhile, Inspire Entertainment Resort in Incheon also posted higher gaming revenue after opening its casino operations in early 2024, although direct year-on-year comparisons remain difficult because the property was not fully operational during the previous period.
2026 slowdown inevitable
Even after a strong 2025, there are already signs that growth may slow in 2026. South Korea’s foreigner-only casino sector saw a surprise dip in March, despite tourist arrivals continuing to increase. The country’s two biggest operators, Paradise and Grand Korea Leisure, both reported a noticeable drop in casino revenue during the month.
The downturn surprised analysts because both operators had started the year strongly in January and February. However, there are a few signs that customer demand itself has weakened due to the ongoing energy crisis across the world. Visitor traffic remained steady, VIP guest numbers held up, and casino floors continued attracting players.
But the wider tourism picture also remains positive. South Korea welcomed a record 4.76 million foreign visitors during the first quarter of 2026, up 23 per cent year-on-year despite geopolitical tensions affecting parts of the global travel market. Industry operators are now hoping that upcoming holiday periods, including Japan’s Golden Week, will help attract more high-value visitors and revive gaming revenue growth in the months ahead.
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