When compared with the Western world, Koreans are much more conservative, especially when it comes to gambling. Therefore, you should have in mind that it is one of the countries that have harsh laws and regulations for natives, and they consider it illegal along the way.

Still, it is understood that it represents a lucrative business and industry that can earn a significant income. That is the main reason why both South and North Korea have working casinos, but with specific regulations.

During the 2018 Winter Olympics, people from all over the world-recognized South Korea as one of the most technologically advanced countries in the world.

During that time, the gambling industry (?????? ??) reached its peaks, especially since most casinos are reserved only for foreigners.

The main difference between South Korea and other nations across the globe is that they have allowed casinos to operate but only to foreigners, and natives are not allowed to enjoy the same way.

That created a debate on these regulations since it is a peculiar situation in which tourists can gamble, while locals cannot. The best way to understand more about it is by checking out their stances on gambling as well as current regulations.

A Background on South Korean Gambling

You should have in mind that boat racing, cycling, horseracing, and lotteries are legal forms of betting and gambling in this particular country.

However, going to casinos is highly forbidden and prohibited, and locals can face three-year prison sentences if they decide to play at tourist casinos.

At the same time, if any citizen decided to gamble abroad, he/she can also face prosecution upon returning.

These charges are complicated to determine, but according to law enforcement, they are cooperating with neighbor countries, so it is almost impossible for Koreans to enjoy luck games.

Within the borders of South Korea, you can find 23 land-based casinos, and only a single one named Kangwon Casino allows natives to play. However, it is near the ski resort, which is highly expensive, and it is almost unreachable for most Koreans.

Check here to learn more about the only site where South Koreans can legally play table games.

According to a study that analyzed problem gambling in this particular country, the average citizen is three times more likely to suffer from addiction than people living in other countries are.

Another controversial perspective is the duality between negative public attitude against gambling, which is embedded and fostered over generations. The government needs to assess the problem based on these findings.

Online Gambling

Have in mind that similarly as brick-and-mortar casinos, going online to play your favorite table games is also illegal, and the government is trying to create policies that will actively check their residents and natives.

According to reports made by National Intelligence Service, North Korea created online gambling websites with an idea to target South Korean players, as well as the ones from Malaysia and Chine. That particular revenue is powering the national economy.

At the same time, the existence of the internet allowed residents to use international companies that will enable them to play games, and according to vendors, the games are legal.

The idea is to mask numerous slots and other games by using a wide array of niches including movies and music, to avoid transparency and legal issues.

However, playing and registering is problematic because the government is actively working to block those sites and to reduce the speed of connection to a point where they cannot play with convenience.

That is the main reason why most people use virtual private networks or VPNs to access the international gambling site from a masked and different location.

Of course, you can also find online providers that are located within the country. Still, they are liable to prosecution from the state, and there have been a few examples of crackdown where gambling operators took the fall.

Should South Korea Legalize Gambling?

The main idea of legislation is the ability to control the industry and to be aware of what is going on. At the same time, this is a lucrative business, and revenues can match the largest manufactures and industries available.

For instance, in the UK, the annual gambling yield reached fifteen billion pounds, which is just a third of a figure when it comes to online counterpart. The industry also accounts for more than ten thousand jobs in the UK, and tax revenues are funding the economy.

As the cherry on the top, the British Government imposed responsibility tax that only casinos and gambling websites have to pay. Therefore, every single company that works in this industry has to donate a particular amount of income to charity.

These charities are effective ways to support the community from the lowest levels. The psychological perspective in which South Koreans are much more likely to develop an addiction is due to harsh laws that government imposes.

Most experts state that increased exposure to casinos through availability and advertisements has reduced the number of amateur and young participants and brought only a mature audience.

At the same time, the legal framework has to include education that will present to people dangers that come with it, which is much better consideration than creating a stigma where gamblers are considered as outcasts.

Another example is the USA, but the regulations are different because apart from Las Vegas, which is a holy site for gamblers, other states have restricted regulations.

However, according to a public consensus that will change shortly, because the market will open up to other states as well.

We recommend you to visit this site: https://www.thekoreanlawblog.com/2017/02/koreas-gambling-law.html to learn more about Korean gambling laws.

Therefore, we can determine that South Korean laws feature elements of hypocrisy because natives are not allowed to enter casinos while they can bet on boat racing, horseracing and lotteries.

On the other hand, foreigners are encouraged to enjoy table games this country has to offer, while residents cannot do it both inside, outside the country.

Of course, excluding the one that opened a few years back, and has more significant revenue than all other casinos combined.

It is much more rewarding for social peace and perspective to legalize and create valid regulations that will secure both users and owners so that both sides could win.