Casinos on South Korea’s Jeju Island will face tougher scrutiny as the local government tries to reduce casino-related crime.
On Sunday, the Korea Times reported that Jeju’s provincial government plans to introduce new legislation seeking greater transparency from the foreigners-only casinos operating on the island. The new legislation, which will take effect in January, revises the government’s previous casino operating guidelines released last June.
South Korea has 16 foreigners-only casinos, fully half of which are small facilities located on Jeju. The island is a popular tourist destination, with a particular attraction for Chinese travelers, but a raft of casino-related crimes involving Chinese visitors has forced the government to impose tighter controls.
Among the new requirements are mandatory increases in the number of security cameras to reduce blind spots in which chicanery might thrive. Permits will be required for anyone wishing to enter restricted areas, including rooms where gaming devices and computers are stored.
Game facilities will have to be built according to the new rules and the government will strictly enforce a ban on illegal gaming equipment. Casino operators must calculate their daily income immediately, sell poker chips at the gaming table, install electronic table games and provide serial numbers for each game contract.
The casinos will also have to keep detailed information regarding their foreign guests, including names, nationalities, passport information and dates of visit. The same conditions apply for South Korean nationals who hold international passports and are therefore exempt from the country’s prohibition on locals gambling in any casino other than Kangwon Land.
There are currently two major casino projects under construction on Jeju. Landing International Development’s Resorts World Jeju, which until last month also involved Genting Singapore, is expected to open in early 2018. That same year will welcome Dream Tower, the joint venture of Lotte Tour Development and China’s Greenland Group.
