South Korea’s WeMade confirms plan to expand iGaming business
South Korean mobile game developer WeMade is preparing a deeper move into the global iGaming market, signalling a strategic shift beyond its traditional video game business. The expansion will be led by Play Links, a specialist affiliate focused on social and casino-style games.
The company said it plans a “full-scale” overseas expansion this year, targeting regulated international markets rather than its domestic base. Real-money gambling remains illegal in South Korea, limiting opportunities at home and pushing local developers to look abroad for growth.
Play Links, which operates under WeMade Play, has already built a foothold in the iGaming space. The studio has released five slots-style social games, which it says together attract more than one million daily users. That existing audience has given the company confidence to scale up its ambitions.
Eyeing the Western markets
At the centre of the expansion is a new flagship slots title, Slotopolis, which Play Links describes as its largest iGaming release to date. The game will introduce collectable features designed to encourage longer play sessions and repeat engagement, a model increasingly common in modern casino-style games.
While slots remain the core focus, WeMade plans to widen its iGaming portfolio. The company said it will diversify into card-based gambling games, as well as puzzle-style titles with competitive elements. This broader approach is intended to appeal to a wider range of players and reduce reliance on a single genre.
The new range of iGaming titles is scheduled to launch in the third quarter of the current financial year. Recently appointed Play Links chief executive Seok Jeong-won said the goal is to establish a firm presence in overseas markets and deliver “tangible” revenue results within the year.
Europe and North America have been identified as priority regions, reflecting their mature regulatory frameworks and large, established player bases. Industry estimates place the global iGaming market at around $100 billion, making it an attractive growth area for content suppliers rather than operators.
Distribution only to licenced partners
WeMade said it plans to distribute its games through licenced partners, supplying content to authorised platforms instead of running gambling services directly. This model may allow the company to enter regulated markets while managing compliance and operational risk.
The move is part of WeMade’s strategy to diversify its business. The firm is best known for the Legends of Mir role-playing game series, which achieved significant popularity across Asia in the mid-2010s, particularly in China. More recently, WeMade has expanded into blockchain gaming and launched its own cryptocurrency, WEMIX.
Data from analytics firm Blask also shows the domestic backdrop to the strategy, showing an average of around 1.1 million active users in South Korea engaging with betting and iGaming content, despite strict local regulations. Whereas the European and North American regions continue to expand at a modest rate.
Still, the situation in South Korea is strict. Online gambling is mostly unregulated, and police continue to shut down illegal gambling operations. Recent police actions in Busan highlight the risks at home, which is why companies like WeMade are focusing on regulated overseas markets for long-term growth.
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