The Korean government is facing pressure to establish a new task force focused on addressing gambling abroad by Korean nationals. 

The recommendations were made during a policy forum held by The Korea Times and the Tourism Sciences Society of Korea (TOSOK), where industry experts called for the government to assess its approach to gambling by its citizens.

Currently, Koreans can only gamble at a small number of government-approved venues, such as a horse racing track in Seoul, the nation’s capital, and Kangwon Land, the only casino open to locals. The 17 other casinos present in Korea are exclusively open to foreign visitors.

Korean nationals are also bound by these same rules outside the country’s borders, even when gambling is permitted by local laws. Violations of the rules can be punished by fines or a prison sentence.

However, according to data from the National Gambling Control Commission, the value of overseas gambling by Korean nationals in 2017 was 4.9 trillion won (£2.7bn), the majority of which was wagered in the Asian gaming hubs of Macau and the Philippines.

Lee Jae-seok, a professor at Gangneung-Wonju National University, told attendees at the conference: “While Macau and the Philippines remain key destinations for those who engage in overseas gambling, the market is expanding to neighbouring countries such as Laos, Cambodia and Vietnam and also quickly evolving online. That’s why we need a permanent regulatory body to comprehensively monitor international gambling activities in the whole ASEAN market.”

Jeong Kwang-min, a research fellow at the Korea Culture and Tourism Institute, also noted during the event that the government should clarify the legal boundaries between leisure gaming and illegal gambling.

Alongside academics, calls for change came from within the Korean gaming industry. 

Tony Kim, marketing department leader of the foreigner-only casino Grand Korea Leisure, argued that the positive impact of gambling on the local economy, tax revenues and tourism industry should be considered.

Kim added that Korea needs to provide institutional support to improve service quality in domestic casinos and foster the healthy growth of integrated resorts that house casinos.

Last week, Kangwon Island was forced to issue a public warning after discovering that illegal gambling sites had been using its name, warning customers to be cautious to avoid any damage caused by illegal sites.