Gambling in Korea
The general stance on gambling of the South Korean authorities could be summarised as the following: all forms of gambling in Korea are prohibited, unless they are expressly permitted by a specific legislation.
The relevant regulatory bodies and their respective regulated gambling activities are as follows:
- the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism (the “MCST”) regulates the South Korean casino industry, motorboat racing, cycle racing and sports promotion betting tickets (e.g., Sports Toto),
- the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs (the “MAFRA”) regulates horse racing and traditional bullfighting,
- the Ministry of Strategy and Finance (the “MOSF”) regulates lottery businesses.
These are the only forms of legal gambling in South Korea. They are all specifically permitted in legislative pieces. For instance, casino gambling is made legal mainly under the Tourism Promotion Act, lottery is permitted by the Lottery Tickets and Lottery Fund Act and betting on horse racing is legalised by the Korean Racing Authority Act.
However, South Korean casinos are only available for foreigners – local residents are only allowed in one South Korean casino, Gangwonland, for which the restriction against the entrance of local residents is relaxed pursuant to the Special Act on Support of Development of Abandoned Mine Areas.
Online gambling is strictly prohibited under South Korean law. The reason for this is that South Korean laws do not make a distinction between land based and online gambling. According to Article 247 of the Criminal Code, anyone conducting illegal gambling in South Korea is subject to criminal prosecution and faces charges of up to 5 years in prison or KRW 30 million (approx. $26,000). This clause is pertinent to online gambling operations as well. Only online sales of lottery tickets is specifically permitted.
Individual players, if caught, are prosecuted as well. According to Article 246 of the Criminal Code, a South Korean person, who gambles using the services of unlicensed operators (online and offline alike) is punishable by a fine of up to KRW 5 million ($4,370) or a minor fine, but “gambling which is just for momentary pleasure is exempted”. This clause basically decriminalises small scale, recreational gambling. Habitual gamblers, on the other hand, face penalties of up to three years in prison or a fine of up to KRW 20 million ($17,480)*.
/What constitutes habitual gambling is not explained in the law./
Although, it is not possible to widely enforce an online gambling ban on the level of individuals, Korean Authorities made it clear, that online gamblers in the country can face penalties if caught. Recently, a number of South Korean professional athletes were charged with online betting (and also alleged match fixing) and were questioned by the police about their online gambling habits**.
Internet censoring in South Korea is described as ‘pervasive’. It is reported, that sites of foreign online gambling operators are also being blocked by ISPs in the country.
There are also rumors of financial institutions blocking transactions to and from online casinos – mostly because this is the case in China – , however none of official sources or laws mention this anywhere.
*Source: ICLG Report: Korea – Gambling 2015
**Source: More South Korean Athletes in Trouble for Gambling
Online casinos accepting players from South Korea
The following online gambling websites accept players from South Korea
Miami Club Digital Casino Destination
Miami Club online casino, 18+
- Welcome bonus, 100% up to $100 on your first 8x deposit (up to $800 total)
- Exclusive bonus code: MIFREE20, $20.00 free, every month, not just for new players, for returning players as well
- Free spins, use coupon HOTWINGS to get 150% up to $150 plus 30 spins on the Funky Chicken 5-reel, limited time only (by the time you are reading it probably expired, only valid for a few days)
USA players accepted, Canada, Netherlands, Israel, France, Australia and UK players are not accepted. You can read the review of Miami Club Casino here.
Playthrough requirements and wagering limitations
| Type of game: | Count towards wagering requirement: |
| Keno, Dazzling Dice, Poker Slots, Bingo Bucks - | 100% |
| Table games | 10% |
| Blackjack or video poke | 10% |
| Slots | 100% |
| Roulette, Craps or Baccarat | 0% - Forbidden! |
Wagering limitation:
- UPDATE 2022: The wagering of any portion of a non-deposit bonus on Roulette, Craps or Baccarat games is strictly forbidden!
- Currently, bonuses are not available to players registering accounts from the following countries: Russia, Ukraine.
- Bonuses cannot be combined.
- Miami Club casino requires that a deposit of at least $25 is made on all accounts before any cash withdrawal is processed to comply with anti money laundering laws + mandatory ID check required by law (law to fight financing of terrorism and payment processor require this as well). The deposited $25 can be withdrawn afterwards with the winnings.
Bet Online Casino, Bookmaker & Poker
Bet Online casino, poker and sportsbook
- Welcome bonus, $3000, 100% up to $1,000 on your first three deposits. Use the code BOLCASINO
- 25% - 50% sports betting reload on every qualifying bet, code: LIFEBONUS (for the 25% bonus) and BOL1000 (for the 50% bonus)
- +100% welcome match bonus up to 100% on your first deposit using bitcoin, bitcoin cash, ethereum, ripple, litecoin or DASH. No code required + 5% crypto boost afterwards on future deposits
- 100% poker bonus
- 10% weekly rebate, cashback for returning players
You can read the review of BetOnline here. List of countries, from which they do not accept players can be found in the review and below. North American players accepted.
Playthrough requirements and wagering limitations
Playthrough requirements of every bonus and promotion:
- The deposit bonus amount must be wagered 30 times before withdrawal, usually (sports betting and poker bonuses 10x)
- Forfeiting the bonus will result in the bonus and any subsequent winnings associated with it to be removed from players accounts.
- Only one bonus can be active at a time, playthrough requirements must be met before additional promotions can be received.
- Players must use the related bonus code in order to receive a bonus (if it has a code, not every promotion requires one).
- Bonus funds will only be available on the Betsoft games, the other providers are not eligible,, unless otherwise stated.
- In cases where rollover or other criteria specified in the individual bonus terms and conditions are not met within 30 days, any remaining bonus funds and associated winnings will be forfeited automatically.
- Wagering requirements must be fulfilled before any winnings can be withdrawn.
Playthrough requirement contributions: The following table show the contribution of the various types of games towards the fulfillment of the wagering requirement.
| Game types: | Contribution: |
| Slots (progressive jackpot slots excluded) | 100% |
| Roulette (All versions), Draw High-Lo, 3 Card Rummy | 20% |
| Baccarat, Blackjack (American & European), Poker 3, Oasis Poker, Single Deck Blackjack, Triple Edge Poker, Caribbean Poker, Three Card Poker, Video Poker | 10% |
| Pirate 21, Blackjack Super 7, Pai Gow, 21 Burn, Ride’m Poker, All forms of Keno, Red Dog, Pontoon, Top Card Trumps | 5% |
| Craps, Live Casino, All Games with Progressive Jackpots, Virtual Racebook. Speciality games ie Keno’s and Scratcher game offered by Betsoft | 0% |
- Afghanistan
- Australia
- Central African Republic
- Congo
- Cote Divoire
- Cuba
- Democratic Republic of Congo
- Eritrea
- France
- French Guiana
- French Polynesia
- French Southern Territories
- Guinea
- Guinea-Bissau
- Iran
- Iraq
- Lebanon
- Liberia
- Libyan Arab Jamahiriya
- Mali
- Malta
- Myanmar (Burma)
- North Korea (Republic of)
- Panama
- Sierra Leone
- Slovenia
- Somalia
- Sudan
- Syrian Arab Republic
- United Kingdom
- Yemen
- Zimbabwe
Fair Go Aussie Themed Casino
FairGo - click to check out the digital casino, latest promotions, offers, hundreds of pokies, Aussie players welcome
- 100% welcome bonus up to $200, on your first 5 deposits (total $500), coupon code: WELCOME
- 100 free spins with code: DOD-GOW (limited time only, please let me know when the code expires)
- 150% bonus and 50 spins on the new slot Lil Red ($20 minimum deposit requirement), coupon code: LILRED150, or on the slot Hyperwins, bonus code: GETHYPED
- Special Neosurf bonus, deposit using Neosurf and get a 200% welcome bonus (only once per player), promo code: 200-NEO
Only one bonus can be active at a time. North American players are accepted at the casino. FairGo Casino does not accept players from: Moldova, Israel, UK. You can read the full review of Fair Go casino here.
Playthrough requirements and wagering limitations
All bonuses, free spins, and other promotional offer are subject to the following wagering limitations and playthrough requirements. Although, we strive to update this section often, it's best if you check the company's website for the latest and up to date bonus terms and conditions (they change it quite often, with every new bonus, it's possible we have missed something, or it's no longer up to date). Terms and conditions of every bonus and promotion:
- Players from the following countries do not qualify for any bonuses: Albania, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Brazil, Bulgaria, Hungary, Indonesia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Lithuania, North Macedonia, Malaysia, Mauritius, Moldova, Montenegro, Poland, Romania, Russia, Germany, Slovakia, Slovenia, Tajikistan, Thailand, Turkmenistan, Ukraine, United Kingdom, Uzbekistan.
- Only one bonus can be active at a time.
- Only real money players, who completed the registration are eligible for a bonus.
- No deposit bonuses hold a maximum cash out limit which is 5x the bonus amount unless otherwise specified.
Playthrough requirement:
- The deposit bonus amount must be wagered 60 times before withdrawal, unless otherwise stated.
Wagering requirement contributions: The following table show the contribution of the various types of games towards the fulfillment of the wagering requirement.
| Game types: | Contribution: |
| Slots (a.k.a. Pokies) | 100% |
| All types of Blackjack, Video Poker, Craps, American Roulette, Baccarat and other table games and non-pokies games | 0% |
Mr Bit Casino and Sportsbook
Mr. Bit casino & bookmaker, current 2023 bonus offers, welcome bonus, free spins and offers for returning players, 18+
- 100% welcome bonus Up To €500 + 50 Free Spins
- Free spins every day for returning players
- 33% reload bonus for returning players
You can read the full review of Mr Bit casino here.
USA, Germany, Australia, Denmark, Italy and UK players are not accepted (+ 13 other countries). Full list of banned countries can be found below.
Playthrough requirements, wagering limitations, terms and conditions and list of restricted countries
General bonus terms and conditions at Mr. Bit and its sister sites:
- welcome bonuses are only available for 30 days after account creation
- the minimum deposit to receive any bonus is €10
- the bonus + deposit needs to be wagered within 7 days from date of activation
Playthrough requirement of the welcome bonus: 27x, the deposit bonus amount must be wagered 27 times before withdrawal. Playthrough requirement of the free spins: 30x, the deposit bonus amount must be wagered 30 times before withdrawal.
Playthrough requirement: No playthrough requirement for the extra weekly money. In case of the welcome bonus:
- Minimum deposit amount: €10
- Maximum bonus amount: €500
- Wagering requirements: x27 (deposit + bonus)
In case of the free spins:
- Participating slots: Jungle Jim and the Lost Sphinx
- Bet per spin: €0,10
- Wagering requirements: x30 (bonus)
- Limit on withdrawing from the free spins: x10
- 7 days for wagering
Wagering limitation:
- 7 days for wagering
- Player from certain countries are not allowed use bonuses due to regular bonus abuse, check the casino's website for the ever changing up to date list.
- Please note that the free spins will appear on the account, once the 150% bonus has been wagered. Your players will get 10 free spins per day over the course of 5 days (50 free spins in total).
UPDATE COVID-19: The online casino does not use the global pandemic situation for advertisement purposes, or to encourage the usage of its online gambling platform. In fact, it's forbidden to use the namesake, name, likeness and official logo or any depiction of the casino/company (and this casino gambling blog) in conjunction with any marketing campaign, which uses the novel coronavirus pandemic for promotion.
Mr Bit Casino does not accept players from:
Summary:
- Casino gambling in South Korea
- Bingo in South Korea
- Poker in South Korea
- Sports betting in South Korea
- Lottery in South Korea
- Bitcoin gambling in South Korea
- Online gambling websites accepting players from South Korea
Casino gambling in South Korea
Online casino gambling in South Korea: illegal, players are prosecuted if caught
Land based casino gambling in Korea is legal and regulated under the Tourism Promotion Act, although only one casino in Korea is permitted to allow local residents to enter, the aforementioned Gangwonland. There are currently 14 land land based casinos in Korea listed on google maps, although this is only a minimum figure, as probably not every casino in Korea is listed on Google Maps.
All forms of online gambling in Korea are prohibited and criminalised. However, the legislation is phrased in a way to basically exempt small scale recreational gamblers, or only imposes a minor fine on them. Also, online gambling bans in general, are next to impossible to be enforced in any country.
The online casinos below accept players from the Bahamas.
The following online casino websites accept players from South Korea:
Miami Club Digital Casino Destination
Miami Club online casino, 18+
- Welcome bonus, 100% up to $100 on your first 8x deposit (up to $800 total)
- Exclusive bonus code: MIFREE20, $20.00 free, every month, not just for new players, for returning players as well
- Free spins, use coupon HOTWINGS to get 150% up to $150 plus 30 spins on the Funky Chicken 5-reel, limited time only (by the time you are reading it probably expired, only valid for a few days)
USA players accepted, Canada, Netherlands, Israel, France, Australia and UK players are not accepted. You can read the review of Miami Club Casino here.
Playthrough requirements and wagering limitations
| Type of game: | Count towards wagering requirement: |
| Keno, Dazzling Dice, Poker Slots, Bingo Bucks - | 100% |
| Table games | 10% |
| Blackjack or video poke | 10% |
| Slots | 100% |
| Roulette, Craps or Baccarat | 0% - Forbidden! |
Wagering limitation:
- UPDATE 2022: The wagering of any portion of a non-deposit bonus on Roulette, Craps or Baccarat games is strictly forbidden!
- Currently, bonuses are not available to players registering accounts from the following countries: Russia, Ukraine.
- Bonuses cannot be combined.
- Miami Club casino requires that a deposit of at least $25 is made on all accounts before any cash withdrawal is processed to comply with anti money laundering laws + mandatory ID check required by law (law to fight financing of terrorism and payment processor require this as well). The deposited $25 can be withdrawn afterwards with the winnings.
Bet Online Casino, Bookmaker & Poker
Bet Online casino, poker and sportsbook
- Welcome bonus, $3000, 100% up to $1,000 on your first three deposits. Use the code BOLCASINO
- 25% - 50% sports betting reload on every qualifying bet, code: LIFEBONUS (for the 25% bonus) and BOL1000 (for the 50% bonus)
- +100% welcome match bonus up to 100% on your first deposit using bitcoin, bitcoin cash, ethereum, ripple, litecoin or DASH. No code required + 5% crypto boost afterwards on future deposits
- 100% poker bonus
- 10% weekly rebate, cashback for returning players
You can read the review of BetOnline here. List of countries, from which they do not accept players can be found in the review and below. North American players accepted.
Playthrough requirements and wagering limitations
Playthrough requirements of every bonus and promotion:
- The deposit bonus amount must be wagered 30 times before withdrawal, usually (sports betting and poker bonuses 10x)
- Forfeiting the bonus will result in the bonus and any subsequent winnings associated with it to be removed from players accounts.
- Only one bonus can be active at a time, playthrough requirements must be met before additional promotions can be received.
- Players must use the related bonus code in order to receive a bonus (if it has a code, not every promotion requires one).
- Bonus funds will only be available on the Betsoft games, the other providers are not eligible,, unless otherwise stated.
- In cases where rollover or other criteria specified in the individual bonus terms and conditions are not met within 30 days, any remaining bonus funds and associated winnings will be forfeited automatically.
- Wagering requirements must be fulfilled before any winnings can be withdrawn.
Playthrough requirement contributions: The following table show the contribution of the various types of games towards the fulfillment of the wagering requirement.
| Game types: | Contribution: |
| Slots (progressive jackpot slots excluded) | 100% |
| Roulette (All versions), Draw High-Lo, 3 Card Rummy | 20% |
| Baccarat, Blackjack (American & European), Poker 3, Oasis Poker, Single Deck Blackjack, Triple Edge Poker, Caribbean Poker, Three Card Poker, Video Poker | 10% |
| Pirate 21, Blackjack Super 7, Pai Gow, 21 Burn, Ride’m Poker, All forms of Keno, Red Dog, Pontoon, Top Card Trumps | 5% |
| Craps, Live Casino, All Games with Progressive Jackpots, Virtual Racebook. Speciality games ie Keno’s and Scratcher game offered by Betsoft | 0% |
- Afghanistan
- Australia
- Central African Republic
- Congo
- Cote Divoire
- Cuba
- Democratic Republic of Congo
- Eritrea
- France
- French Guiana
- French Polynesia
- French Southern Territories
- Guinea
- Guinea-Bissau
- Iran
- Iraq
- Lebanon
- Liberia
- Libyan Arab Jamahiriya
- Mali
- Malta
- Myanmar (Burma)
- North Korea (Republic of)
- Panama
- Sierra Leone
- Slovenia
- Somalia
- Sudan
- Syrian Arab Republic
- United Kingdom
- Yemen
- Zimbabwe
Fair Go Aussie Themed Casino
FairGo - click to check out the digital casino, latest promotions, offers, hundreds of pokies, Aussie players welcome
- 100% welcome bonus up to $200, on your first 5 deposits (total $500), coupon code: WELCOME
- 100 free spins with code: DOD-GOW (limited time only, please let me know when the code expires)
- 150% bonus and 50 spins on the new slot Lil Red ($20 minimum deposit requirement), coupon code: LILRED150, or on the slot Hyperwins, bonus code: GETHYPED
- Special Neosurf bonus, deposit using Neosurf and get a 200% welcome bonus (only once per player), promo code: 200-NEO
Only one bonus can be active at a time. North American players are accepted at the casino. FairGo Casino does not accept players from: Moldova, Israel, UK. You can read the full review of Fair Go casino here.
Playthrough requirements and wagering limitations
All bonuses, free spins, and other promotional offer are subject to the following wagering limitations and playthrough requirements. Although, we strive to update this section often, it's best if you check the company's website for the latest and up to date bonus terms and conditions (they change it quite often, with every new bonus, it's possible we have missed something, or it's no longer up to date). Terms and conditions of every bonus and promotion:
- Players from the following countries do not qualify for any bonuses: Albania, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Brazil, Bulgaria, Hungary, Indonesia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Lithuania, North Macedonia, Malaysia, Mauritius, Moldova, Montenegro, Poland, Romania, Russia, Germany, Slovakia, Slovenia, Tajikistan, Thailand, Turkmenistan, Ukraine, United Kingdom, Uzbekistan.
- Only one bonus can be active at a time.
- Only real money players, who completed the registration are eligible for a bonus.
- No deposit bonuses hold a maximum cash out limit which is 5x the bonus amount unless otherwise specified.
Playthrough requirement:
- The deposit bonus amount must be wagered 60 times before withdrawal, unless otherwise stated.
Wagering requirement contributions: The following table show the contribution of the various types of games towards the fulfillment of the wagering requirement.
| Game types: | Contribution: |
| Slots (a.k.a. Pokies) | 100% |
| All types of Blackjack, Video Poker, Craps, American Roulette, Baccarat and other table games and non-pokies games | 0% |
Mr Bit Casino and Sportsbook
Mr. Bit casino & bookmaker, current 2023 bonus offers, welcome bonus, free spins and offers for returning players, 18+
- 100% welcome bonus Up To €500 + 50 Free Spins
- Free spins every day for returning players
- 33% reload bonus for returning players
You can read the full review of Mr Bit casino here.
USA, Germany, Australia, Denmark, Italy and UK players are not accepted (+ 13 other countries). Full list of banned countries can be found below.
Playthrough requirements, wagering limitations, terms and conditions and list of restricted countries
General bonus terms and conditions at Mr. Bit and its sister sites:
- welcome bonuses are only available for 30 days after account creation
- the minimum deposit to receive any bonus is €10
- the bonus + deposit needs to be wagered within 7 days from date of activation
Playthrough requirement of the welcome bonus: 27x, the deposit bonus amount must be wagered 27 times before withdrawal. Playthrough requirement of the free spins: 30x, the deposit bonus amount must be wagered 30 times before withdrawal.
Playthrough requirement: No playthrough requirement for the extra weekly money. In case of the welcome bonus:
- Minimum deposit amount: €10
- Maximum bonus amount: €500
- Wagering requirements: x27 (deposit + bonus)
In case of the free spins:
- Participating slots: Jungle Jim and the Lost Sphinx
- Bet per spin: €0,10
- Wagering requirements: x30 (bonus)
- Limit on withdrawing from the free spins: x10
- 7 days for wagering
Wagering limitation:
- 7 days for wagering
- Player from certain countries are not allowed use bonuses due to regular bonus abuse, check the casino's website for the ever changing up to date list.
- Please note that the free spins will appear on the account, once the 150% bonus has been wagered. Your players will get 10 free spins per day over the course of 5 days (50 free spins in total).
UPDATE COVID-19: The online casino does not use the global pandemic situation for advertisement purposes, or to encourage the usage of its online gambling platform. In fact, it's forbidden to use the namesake, name, likeness and official logo or any depiction of the casino/company (and this casino gambling blog) in conjunction with any marketing campaign, which uses the novel coronavirus pandemic for promotion.
Mr Bit Casino does not accept players from:
Click here for more info on casinos in South Korea.
Bingo in South Korea
Online bingo in South Korea: illegal, players are prosecuted if caught
None of the land based casinos in Korea appear to operate bingo halls. Outside these licensed venues bingo, as all other forms of gambling is Korea, is illegal. The national lottery also does not offer bingo games to its players.
All forms of online gambling in Korea are prohibited unless specifically made legal, this applies to online bingo. This makes online bingo illegal in South Korea. The government is reported to block several foreign online gambling sites – although it’s unknown, whether their blacklist also includes online bingo sites.
It is impossible for any state to widely enforce online gambling bans on the level of individual players, and the South Korean legislations makes it clear that it does not wish to either, therefore small scale online gamblers in the country are not realistically in any danger from the authorities.
The following bingo websites accept players from South Korea:
There is none, I couldn’t find any. If you know of any please drop a link to it in the comments section.
Poker in South Korea
Online poker in South Korea: illegal, players are prosecuted if caught
Land based poker is legal and licensed in South Korea, although poker playing is limited to the licensed casinos. As a sign of the easing of gambling restrictions in the country, this year, one of the events of the annual Asia Pacific Poker Tour was held in the Korea’s capital, Seoul, in the Paradise Walkerhill Casino. The event was funded by Poker Stars, one of the biggest international online poker platforms in the world.
Online poker, on the other hand is strictly prohibited, just like many other forms of online gambling in Korea. The South Korean government does not issue licenses to operators and professional players could, theoretically, face prosecution. However, small scale gamblers are basically exempt from the prohibition.
The following online poker sites accept players from South Korea.
The following online casino websites have poker and accept players from South Korea:
Bet Online Casino, Bookmaker & Poker
Bet Online casino, poker and sportsbook
- Welcome bonus, $3000, 100% up to $1,000 on your first three deposits. Use the code BOLCASINO
- 25% - 50% sports betting reload on every qualifying bet, code: LIFEBONUS (for the 25% bonus) and BOL1000 (for the 50% bonus)
- +100% welcome match bonus up to 100% on your first deposit using bitcoin, bitcoin cash, ethereum, ripple, litecoin or DASH. No code required + 5% crypto boost afterwards on future deposits
- 100% poker bonus
- 10% weekly rebate, cashback for returning players
You can read the review of BetOnline here. List of countries, from which they do not accept players can be found in the review and below. North American players accepted.
Playthrough requirements and wagering limitations
Playthrough requirements of every bonus and promotion:
- The deposit bonus amount must be wagered 30 times before withdrawal, usually (sports betting and poker bonuses 10x)
- Forfeiting the bonus will result in the bonus and any subsequent winnings associated with it to be removed from players accounts.
- Only one bonus can be active at a time, playthrough requirements must be met before additional promotions can be received.
- Players must use the related bonus code in order to receive a bonus (if it has a code, not every promotion requires one).
- Bonus funds will only be available on the Betsoft games, the other providers are not eligible,, unless otherwise stated.
- In cases where rollover or other criteria specified in the individual bonus terms and conditions are not met within 30 days, any remaining bonus funds and associated winnings will be forfeited automatically.
- Wagering requirements must be fulfilled before any winnings can be withdrawn.
Playthrough requirement contributions: The following table show the contribution of the various types of games towards the fulfillment of the wagering requirement.
| Game types: | Contribution: |
| Slots (progressive jackpot slots excluded) | 100% |
| Roulette (All versions), Draw High-Lo, 3 Card Rummy | 20% |
| Baccarat, Blackjack (American & European), Poker 3, Oasis Poker, Single Deck Blackjack, Triple Edge Poker, Caribbean Poker, Three Card Poker, Video Poker | 10% |
| Pirate 21, Blackjack Super 7, Pai Gow, 21 Burn, Ride’m Poker, All forms of Keno, Red Dog, Pontoon, Top Card Trumps | 5% |
| Craps, Live Casino, All Games with Progressive Jackpots, Virtual Racebook. Speciality games ie Keno’s and Scratcher game offered by Betsoft | 0% |
- Afghanistan
- Australia
- Central African Republic
- Congo
- Cote Divoire
- Cuba
- Democratic Republic of Congo
- Eritrea
- France
- French Guiana
- French Polynesia
- French Southern Territories
- Guinea
- Guinea-Bissau
- Iran
- Iraq
- Lebanon
- Liberia
- Libyan Arab Jamahiriya
- Mali
- Malta
- Myanmar (Burma)
- North Korea (Republic of)
- Panama
- Sierra Leone
- Slovenia
- Somalia
- Sudan
- Syrian Arab Republic
- United Kingdom
- Yemen
- Zimbabwe
Sports betting in South Korea
Online sports betting in South Korea: the only legal forms of sports betting are the state backed Sports Toto and Proto, there is also legal horse race betting offered by the Korea Racing Authority, none of these have online platforms, players of foreign online bookmakers are prosecuted if caught, but that seldom happens
In Korea, the legal sports betting options are limited to games offered by the state-backed company Sports Toto and the horse race betting conducted by the Korea Racing Authority.
Sports Toto offers two sports betting games: Sports Toto and Proto, with the first being pari-mutuel betting and the second fixed odds. Both games can be played in electronic terminals, betting shops and convenience stores around the country, but they do not have online bookmakers. The profits generated by Sports Toto’s games go to the Korea Sports Promotion Foundation, the goal of which is to popularise sports amongst the Korean populace.
All legal horse race betting in the country is conducted by the Korea Racing Authority. Wagers can be made on the three thoroughbred tracks around the country as well as the thirty OCBs (Off-Course Betting centres)*. However, the Korea Racing Authority does not offer any online sportsbooks.
Foreign online sportsbooks are illegal and players can face prosecution if caught. Recently, several Korean basketball players were charged with online betting and alleged match fixing.
The government also block access to some foreign online bookmakers. However, regular, small scale players placing bets with such sites from the safety of their homes are extremely unlikely to be prosecuted in Korea, or any other country for that matter (recreational, not professional, small scale gambling by private persons is not criminalized in Korea). Odds on major foreign online sports books are said to be far superior to the ones offered on the state backed betting games in Korea.
The online sportsbooks below accept registrations from the Bahamas.
*Source: KRA official website: OCB centres
The following online sportsbooks accept bettors from South Korea:
Bet Online Casino, Bookmaker & Poker
Bet Online casino, poker and sportsbook
- Welcome bonus, $3000, 100% up to $1,000 on your first three deposits. Use the code BOLCASINO
- 25% - 50% sports betting reload on every qualifying bet, code: LIFEBONUS (for the 25% bonus) and BOL1000 (for the 50% bonus)
- +100% welcome match bonus up to 100% on your first deposit using bitcoin, bitcoin cash, ethereum, ripple, litecoin or DASH. No code required + 5% crypto boost afterwards on future deposits
- 100% poker bonus
- 10% weekly rebate, cashback for returning players
You can read the review of BetOnline here. List of countries, from which they do not accept players can be found in the review and below. North American players accepted.
Playthrough requirements and wagering limitations
Playthrough requirements of every bonus and promotion:
- The deposit bonus amount must be wagered 30 times before withdrawal, usually (sports betting and poker bonuses 10x)
- Forfeiting the bonus will result in the bonus and any subsequent winnings associated with it to be removed from players accounts.
- Only one bonus can be active at a time, playthrough requirements must be met before additional promotions can be received.
- Players must use the related bonus code in order to receive a bonus (if it has a code, not every promotion requires one).
- Bonus funds will only be available on the Betsoft games, the other providers are not eligible,, unless otherwise stated.
- In cases where rollover or other criteria specified in the individual bonus terms and conditions are not met within 30 days, any remaining bonus funds and associated winnings will be forfeited automatically.
- Wagering requirements must be fulfilled before any winnings can be withdrawn.
Playthrough requirement contributions: The following table show the contribution of the various types of games towards the fulfillment of the wagering requirement.
| Game types: | Contribution: |
| Slots (progressive jackpot slots excluded) | 100% |
| Roulette (All versions), Draw High-Lo, 3 Card Rummy | 20% |
| Baccarat, Blackjack (American & European), Poker 3, Oasis Poker, Single Deck Blackjack, Triple Edge Poker, Caribbean Poker, Three Card Poker, Video Poker | 10% |
| Pirate 21, Blackjack Super 7, Pai Gow, 21 Burn, Ride’m Poker, All forms of Keno, Red Dog, Pontoon, Top Card Trumps | 5% |
| Craps, Live Casino, All Games with Progressive Jackpots, Virtual Racebook. Speciality games ie Keno’s and Scratcher game offered by Betsoft | 0% |
- Afghanistan
- Australia
- Central African Republic
- Congo
- Cote Divoire
- Cuba
- Democratic Republic of Congo
- Eritrea
- France
- French Guiana
- French Polynesia
- French Southern Territories
- Guinea
- Guinea-Bissau
- Iran
- Iraq
- Lebanon
- Liberia
- Libyan Arab Jamahiriya
- Mali
- Malta
- Myanmar (Burma)
- North Korea (Republic of)
- Panama
- Sierra Leone
- Slovenia
- Somalia
- Sudan
- Syrian Arab Republic
- United Kingdom
- Yemen
- Zimbabwe
Mr Bit Casino and Sportsbook
Mr. Bit casino & bookmaker, current 2023 bonus offers, welcome bonus, free spins and offers for returning players, 18+
- 100% welcome bonus Up To €500 + 50 Free Spins
- Free spins every day for returning players
- 33% reload bonus for returning players
You can read the full review of Mr Bit casino here.
USA, Germany, Australia, Denmark, Italy and UK players are not accepted (+ 13 other countries). Full list of banned countries can be found below.
Playthrough requirements, wagering limitations, terms and conditions and list of restricted countries
General bonus terms and conditions at Mr. Bit and its sister sites:
- welcome bonuses are only available for 30 days after account creation
- the minimum deposit to receive any bonus is €10
- the bonus + deposit needs to be wagered within 7 days from date of activation
Playthrough requirement of the welcome bonus: 27x, the deposit bonus amount must be wagered 27 times before withdrawal. Playthrough requirement of the free spins: 30x, the deposit bonus amount must be wagered 30 times before withdrawal.
Playthrough requirement: No playthrough requirement for the extra weekly money. In case of the welcome bonus:
- Minimum deposit amount: €10
- Maximum bonus amount: €500
- Wagering requirements: x27 (deposit + bonus)
In case of the free spins:
- Participating slots: Jungle Jim and the Lost Sphinx
- Bet per spin: €0,10
- Wagering requirements: x30 (bonus)
- Limit on withdrawing from the free spins: x10
- 7 days for wagering
Wagering limitation:
- 7 days for wagering
- Player from certain countries are not allowed use bonuses due to regular bonus abuse, check the casino's website for the ever changing up to date list.
- Please note that the free spins will appear on the account, once the 150% bonus has been wagered. Your players will get 10 free spins per day over the course of 5 days (50 free spins in total).
UPDATE COVID-19: The online casino does not use the global pandemic situation for advertisement purposes, or to encourage the usage of its online gambling platform. In fact, it's forbidden to use the namesake, name, likeness and official logo or any depiction of the casino/company (and this casino gambling blog) in conjunction with any marketing campaign, which uses the novel coronavirus pandemic for promotion.
Mr Bit Casino does not accept players from:
Lottery in South Korea
Online lottery in South Korea: legal, state monopoly, you can purchase lottery tickets online
The Korean Lottery Commission licenses one company, Nanum LOTTO Co. Ltd. to conduct lottery draws and sell printed, electronic and online lottery tickets in the country.
Nanum LOTTO Co. Ltd. is the only legal provider of lotteries in the country. It is unknown if individual Koreans playing on foreign online lotteries are prosecuted.
The following websites allow people from South Korea to purchase lottery tickets online:
There aren't any online lottery sites, which would accept players from the country. Because online lottery is either illegal or a monopoly of the state-owned national lottery of the country (you can read the details above).
Bitcoin gambling in South Korea
Bitcoin gambling in South Korea: not specifically regulated, safe to assume that it’s illegal, just as other forms of online gambling in Korea
South Korea is a country with a blossoming Bitcoin scene and authorities do not restrict the use of Bitcoin in the country.
A number of news pieces were published June last year about a South Korean Bitcoin gambling company, Satoshinori beta testing its products meant to cut the firm a piece of the estimated $49b East-Asian online gambling market (illegal included)*. The company would’ve operated under the same assumption as many other Bitcoin casinos – namely, that as Bitcoin is not a currency, therefore Bitcoin gambling is legal, or at least not explicitly illegal, even in countries with laws otherwise prohibiting online gambling.
However, this is an assumption was proven wrong many times in many countries around the world in recent years. The fact, that the company has disappeared ever since its announcement last year seems to confirm suspicions, that they too are facing legal barriers. Online gambling bans are not this easy to circumvent, apparently.
However, it’s true, that South Korean gambling laws do not address Bitcoin gambling in specific, but than again, neither do they expressly ban online gambling – the ban is a general one, with its scope covering online operators as well. Therefore, it’s safe to assume, that Bitcoin gambling, in practice, is just as illegal in South Korea than any other forms of online gambling.
Although players might face charges if caught, recreational gamblers are basically exempt from the prohibition (see above).
The bitcoin casinos below accept players from South Korea.
The following online casino websites accept bitcoin, litecoin and ethereum, and accept players from South Korea:
Miami Club Digital Casino Destination
Miami Club online casino, 18+
- Welcome bonus, 100% up to $100 on your first 8x deposit (up to $800 total)
- Exclusive bonus code: MIFREE20, $20.00 free, every month, not just for new players, for returning players as well
- Free spins, use coupon HOTWINGS to get 150% up to $150 plus 30 spins on the Funky Chicken 5-reel, limited time only (by the time you are reading it probably expired, only valid for a few days)
USA players accepted, Canada, Netherlands, Israel, France, Australia and UK players are not accepted. You can read the review of Miami Club Casino here.
Playthrough requirements and wagering limitations
| Type of game: | Count towards wagering requirement: |
| Keno, Dazzling Dice, Poker Slots, Bingo Bucks - | 100% |
| Table games | 10% |
| Blackjack or video poke | 10% |
| Slots | 100% |
| Roulette, Craps or Baccarat | 0% - Forbidden! |
Wagering limitation:
- UPDATE 2022: The wagering of any portion of a non-deposit bonus on Roulette, Craps or Baccarat games is strictly forbidden!
- Currently, bonuses are not available to players registering accounts from the following countries: Russia, Ukraine.
- Bonuses cannot be combined.
- Miami Club casino requires that a deposit of at least $25 is made on all accounts before any cash withdrawal is processed to comply with anti money laundering laws + mandatory ID check required by law (law to fight financing of terrorism and payment processor require this as well). The deposited $25 can be withdrawn afterwards with the winnings.
Bet Online Casino, Bookmaker & Poker
Bet Online casino, poker and sportsbook
- Welcome bonus, $3000, 100% up to $1,000 on your first three deposits. Use the code BOLCASINO
- 25% - 50% sports betting reload on every qualifying bet, code: LIFEBONUS (for the 25% bonus) and BOL1000 (for the 50% bonus)
- +100% welcome match bonus up to 100% on your first deposit using bitcoin, bitcoin cash, ethereum, ripple, litecoin or DASH. No code required + 5% crypto boost afterwards on future deposits
- 100% poker bonus
- 10% weekly rebate, cashback for returning players
You can read the review of BetOnline here. List of countries, from which they do not accept players can be found in the review and below. North American players accepted.
Playthrough requirements and wagering limitations
Playthrough requirements of every bonus and promotion:
- The deposit bonus amount must be wagered 30 times before withdrawal, usually (sports betting and poker bonuses 10x)
- Forfeiting the bonus will result in the bonus and any subsequent winnings associated with it to be removed from players accounts.
- Only one bonus can be active at a time, playthrough requirements must be met before additional promotions can be received.
- Players must use the related bonus code in order to receive a bonus (if it has a code, not every promotion requires one).
- Bonus funds will only be available on the Betsoft games, the other providers are not eligible,, unless otherwise stated.
- In cases where rollover or other criteria specified in the individual bonus terms and conditions are not met within 30 days, any remaining bonus funds and associated winnings will be forfeited automatically.
- Wagering requirements must be fulfilled before any winnings can be withdrawn.
Playthrough requirement contributions: The following table show the contribution of the various types of games towards the fulfillment of the wagering requirement.
| Game types: | Contribution: |
| Slots (progressive jackpot slots excluded) | 100% |
| Roulette (All versions), Draw High-Lo, 3 Card Rummy | 20% |
| Baccarat, Blackjack (American & European), Poker 3, Oasis Poker, Single Deck Blackjack, Triple Edge Poker, Caribbean Poker, Three Card Poker, Video Poker | 10% |
| Pirate 21, Blackjack Super 7, Pai Gow, 21 Burn, Ride’m Poker, All forms of Keno, Red Dog, Pontoon, Top Card Trumps | 5% |
| Craps, Live Casino, All Games with Progressive Jackpots, Virtual Racebook. Speciality games ie Keno’s and Scratcher game offered by Betsoft | 0% |
- Afghanistan
- Australia
- Central African Republic
- Congo
- Cote Divoire
- Cuba
- Democratic Republic of Congo
- Eritrea
- France
- French Guiana
- French Polynesia
- French Southern Territories
- Guinea
- Guinea-Bissau
- Iran
- Iraq
- Lebanon
- Liberia
- Libyan Arab Jamahiriya
- Mali
- Malta
- Myanmar (Burma)
- North Korea (Republic of)
- Panama
- Sierra Leone
- Slovenia
- Somalia
- Sudan
- Syrian Arab Republic
- United Kingdom
- Yemen
- Zimbabwe
Fair Go Aussie Themed Casino
FairGo - click to check out the digital casino, latest promotions, offers, hundreds of pokies, Aussie players welcome
- 100% welcome bonus up to $200, on your first 5 deposits (total $500), coupon code: WELCOME
- 100 free spins with code: DOD-GOW (limited time only, please let me know when the code expires)
- 150% bonus and 50 spins on the new slot Lil Red ($20 minimum deposit requirement), coupon code: LILRED150, or on the slot Hyperwins, bonus code: GETHYPED
- Special Neosurf bonus, deposit using Neosurf and get a 200% welcome bonus (only once per player), promo code: 200-NEO
Only one bonus can be active at a time. North American players are accepted at the casino. FairGo Casino does not accept players from: Moldova, Israel, UK. You can read the full review of Fair Go casino here.
Playthrough requirements and wagering limitations
All bonuses, free spins, and other promotional offer are subject to the following wagering limitations and playthrough requirements. Although, we strive to update this section often, it's best if you check the company's website for the latest and up to date bonus terms and conditions (they change it quite often, with every new bonus, it's possible we have missed something, or it's no longer up to date). Terms and conditions of every bonus and promotion:
- Players from the following countries do not qualify for any bonuses: Albania, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Brazil, Bulgaria, Hungary, Indonesia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Lithuania, North Macedonia, Malaysia, Mauritius, Moldova, Montenegro, Poland, Romania, Russia, Germany, Slovakia, Slovenia, Tajikistan, Thailand, Turkmenistan, Ukraine, United Kingdom, Uzbekistan.
- Only one bonus can be active at a time.
- Only real money players, who completed the registration are eligible for a bonus.
- No deposit bonuses hold a maximum cash out limit which is 5x the bonus amount unless otherwise specified.
Playthrough requirement:
- The deposit bonus amount must be wagered 60 times before withdrawal, unless otherwise stated.
Wagering requirement contributions: The following table show the contribution of the various types of games towards the fulfillment of the wagering requirement.
| Game types: | Contribution: |
| Slots (a.k.a. Pokies) | 100% |
| All types of Blackjack, Video Poker, Craps, American Roulette, Baccarat and other table games and non-pokies games | 0% |
Mr Bit Casino and Sportsbook
Mr. Bit casino & bookmaker, current 2023 bonus offers, welcome bonus, free spins and offers for returning players, 18+
- 100% welcome bonus Up To €500 + 50 Free Spins
- Free spins every day for returning players
- 33% reload bonus for returning players
You can read the full review of Mr Bit casino here.
USA, Germany, Australia, Denmark, Italy and UK players are not accepted (+ 13 other countries). Full list of banned countries can be found below.
Playthrough requirements, wagering limitations, terms and conditions and list of restricted countries
General bonus terms and conditions at Mr. Bit and its sister sites:
- welcome bonuses are only available for 30 days after account creation
- the minimum deposit to receive any bonus is €10
- the bonus + deposit needs to be wagered within 7 days from date of activation
Playthrough requirement of the welcome bonus: 27x, the deposit bonus amount must be wagered 27 times before withdrawal. Playthrough requirement of the free spins: 30x, the deposit bonus amount must be wagered 30 times before withdrawal.
Playthrough requirement: No playthrough requirement for the extra weekly money. In case of the welcome bonus:
- Minimum deposit amount: €10
- Maximum bonus amount: €500
- Wagering requirements: x27 (deposit + bonus)
In case of the free spins:
- Participating slots: Jungle Jim and the Lost Sphinx
- Bet per spin: €0,10
- Wagering requirements: x30 (bonus)
- Limit on withdrawing from the free spins: x10
- 7 days for wagering
Wagering limitation:
- 7 days for wagering
- Player from certain countries are not allowed use bonuses due to regular bonus abuse, check the casino's website for the ever changing up to date list.
- Please note that the free spins will appear on the account, once the 150% bonus has been wagered. Your players will get 10 free spins per day over the course of 5 days (50 free spins in total).
UPDATE COVID-19: The online casino does not use the global pandemic situation for advertisement purposes, or to encourage the usage of its online gambling platform. In fact, it's forbidden to use the namesake, name, likeness and official logo or any depiction of the casino/company (and this casino gambling blog) in conjunction with any marketing campaign, which uses the novel coronavirus pandemic for promotion.
Mr Bit Casino does not accept players from:
*Source: Korean Bitcoin Gambling Site Seeks Asian Customers
This page is part of Simon’s List – Legal Status of Online Gambling – a definitive guide to the legal status of all forms of online gambling activities in every country around the world.
Last updated: 2022-04-19
Gamble responsibly,
SimonTheSorcerer
Last Updated on 2022-04-19 by Simon
 That's me, Simon, thank you for visiting. I'm an independent gambling blogger since 2012. In this sector dominated by huge media companies, casino operators and online marketing networks, who can easily spend $ millions on their online gambling blogs, it's not easy for an independent nobody like me to survive. It took me about 6 years, working my ass off, to even have a chance to be noticed by visitors like you. I'm lucky enough that for a few years now, I make enough money to be able to do this full time (before that, I had part-time jobs, ghost writing gigs, online marketing this and that). Now I can finally do this full time, thanks to visitors like you! And it means a lot! If you are interested, please bookmark this site (no social media profiles, I no longer have any, but please feel free to share anything on any social media networks, if you still use them). I don't have any money to advertise, and if you have a personal blog, any social media profile, please mention my gambling blog and link back to it. This the only way for a small website like this to grow. Thank you! |
 Kiva helps young entrepreneurs in developing countries, which is an issue close to my heart for obvious reasons. If you have the means, please sign up with the revolutionary non-profit company Kiva.org and help people lift themselves out of poverty, through hard-work, and an initial investment (non-profit loan). These non-profit loans encourage entrepreneurship and hard work instead of creating a dependent class that is afraid to get a job, or start a business (because if they did, they would no longer get support and free money, disincentivizing hard work and entrepreneurship). This is the right way to fight poverty in developing countries (or anywhere else really), and if this is something you are interested in, and if you would like to know more, or to help out, please check out Kiva.org here. Thank you! By being on this site, you agree to terms and conditions, and privacy policy. You must be at least 18, and if you are a gambling addict, or a citizen of Hungary, please leave the site. |
Thank you for sharing this gambling in south korea
how do i report a game (silk road by JOYMAX.com) has been selling products (proofs) online to upgrade your game items and a very high percentage of them(proofs) fail to work which i find to be “made to fail” to make more Revenue for the company i myself have spent hundreds of dollars and have seen my money go away with NOTHING to show for the hundreds of dollars spent, many others have same issue
please stop these people from stealing our money
That’s an MMO computer game, this is a gambling blog, it has zero relevancy and I have zero interest in getting involved.
Because it is an illegal service that is expressly forbidden by the game’s ToS there is no one to report it to, and if they figure it out (the game company) that you used such service they will even ban you from the game so be careful.
Hi Simon, can you please help me understand whether Online Poker Social (non Real Money Game) is considered as Gambling in South Korea?