South Korea’s Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism confirmed that Electronic Table Games (ETGs) were allowed to be used in Korean casinos for the first time in response to a survey by GGRACIA.
The ministry clarified that “full automation” means any standalone electronic table game, or stadium setting for games that control play order only with machines.
Electronic table games involving human dealers are classified as “employee” games.
According to the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport, the fully automatic ETG permit was approved in February, but was only mentioned on the ministry’s website on April 25. The Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport plays a regulatory role in the casino sector of the country.
An official at Jeju Dream Tower Casino, a foreign-only venue on Jeju Island, told GGRACIA that the 71-seat ETG stadium has been converted to a fully automated environment since April following the ministry’s ruling. 경마
Jeju Dream Tower is managed by Lotte Tourism Development, which is listed on the Korea Exchange.
Gangwon Land Resort, managed by Kangwon Land, is the only local in the country that can bet, but operates an ETG stadium, but has not yet adopted the option to switch to fully automated, it told GGRACIA.
Jeju Shinhwa World Casino, operated by Hong Kong-listed Shinhwa World, has confirmed that it does not provide fully automatic ETG to GGRASIA.
Grand Korea Leisure, Inc., which operates three foreign-only casinos under the Seven Luck brand, has acknowledged that it is currently offering semi-automatic ETG to GGRASIA and has the option to switch completely automatically if desired.