An investigation uncovers more than 100 illegal gambling venues targeting Chinese nationals, exposing enforcement gaps and demographic pressures in South Korea’s tightly regulated gaming market.
South Korea.- Illegal gambling dens operating exclusively for Chinese nationals are spreading rapidly across Seoul’s Chinatown districts, according to an undercover investigation by The Chosun Daily. The report identified more than 100 unlicensed venues in Garibong-dong and Daerim-dong, where slot machines and mahjong tables operate behind guarded entrances that explicitly prohibit Koreans from entering.
Disguised as “senior activity rooms,” a term commonly used as slang for gambling venues within Chinese communities, the dens cluster inside ageing commercial buildings. Access is restricted through ID checks, covered windows and constant surveillance, making detection from the street difficult and complicating police efforts to gather evidence.
The investigation also revealed direct links between gambling dens and unregistered guesthouses, allowing players to gamble late into the night, rest upstairs and return the next day. While foreign residents are legally allowed to bet only at 17 licensed casinos nationwide, the number of illegal gambling sites under police surveillance has surged from 273 in 2022 to 909 in 2024, even as on-site crackdowns have declined.
The Chosun Daily connects the rise of these operations to demographic shifts among Chinese and Chinese Korean communities, particularly an ageing population increasingly detached from the formal economy. As enforcement struggles to keep pace, the findings highlight growing challenges for regulators seeking to curb illegal gambling activity in South Korea.
An investigation uncovers more than 100 illegal gambling venues targeting Chinese nationals, exposing enforcement gaps and demographic pressures in South Korea’s tightly regulated gaming market. South Korea.- Illegal gambling dens…
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