Korea is not the first thing you would think of when talking about gambling, and that is for a really good reason.
Both North and South Korea take an unfavorable view of gambling. Native Koreans don’t seem to be allowed to gamble in casinos, although they will partake in lotteries and depending on some sports like racing. This law goes beyond the jurisdiction of the country. Even traveling Koreans who have visited casinos in other countries may be forced to pay up to 5 million won and can still be prosecuted.
However, the identical laws don’t touch foreigners. In Korea, there are one or two casinos – perhaps around 20 overall – and most are located within hotels to leverage tourism. Tourists and expatriates are very welcome in casinos, but the sole Koreans who are allowed inside are people who work there.
There is one exception: the Kangwon Land Casino and resort in Gangwon-do, a war-damaged and economically poor province that is hospitable to both foreigners and native Koreans.
The casino was in-built in 2000 and has become instrumental in helping the economy to recover, furthermore providing entertainment and relaxation for locals. Kangwon Land Casino is the busiest and highest-earning casino in the country. Although, it isn’t surprising once you consider that 10,000 Koreans visit it every day. Its similarity to the favorite, Badugi, has also helped raise its popularity.
If you would like to urge in on the action, there are some beautiful venues to settle on from. Paradise City Incheon is found right by the beach and hosted both the globe Poker Tour and Asian Poker Tour. It only opened in 2017 so is one of the most recent Korean casinos.
If you wish for more variety in your poker, then take a look at the Landing Casino in Jeju Shinhwa World. It’s 8 poker tables offering games including stud, poker 36, and three-card, further because of the more popular Texas Hold’em. Open 24 hours, it’s also home to a bunch of other electronic and table games, so if you fancy mixing it up you’ll be able to try your hand at something else.
ALSO READ: Real Money Casino Apps vs Free Mobile Gaming: Which One Suits You?
With the sport only recently finding a Korean audience, many residents are scarcely learning the way to play poker. And with only one casino to practice in, it is often difficult to search out a decent game. However, given its swift rise in popularity, it’s easy to predict that the interest in poker is probably going to stay increasing.
However, for those willing to travel and ready to risk the fine, there’s always neighboring Macau – the self-proclaimed ‘Gambling Capital of the World’. The sole place where Chinese nationals are permitted to gamble, Macau has seen a meteoric rise in popularity, overtaking Las Vegas in gambling revenues in 2007 and continuing to climb per annum since.
In comparison, the poker scene in Korea continues to be noticeably in its infancy. Native Koreans are limited to casual games without profit unless the govt considers reviewing the laws and making it legal for them to enter casinos. Or watching tours on television. Except for those eager to participate, options at the instant remain limited.
Online poker in Korea is one option. While there aren’t any specific laws prohibiting play, South Korean companies are forbidden from putting in place their own websites. Access to foreign-based online casinos is feasible, albeit a specific amount of technological wizardry may be needed. But there are sites out there like Golden Rich Poker that became extremely attractive to Korean poker players and permit them to form their hobby in a very safe and fairly legal environment.
Korea is extremely much an up-and-coming venue for poker. The recognition of the sport amongst visiting tourists has helped it spread to locals and supply incentives for the most important poker tournaments to start out including the country in their global tours. For visitors, there are many excellent casinos to go to and play some hands, but the locals will wait and see if there are any legal revisions coming their way in the future.