Major operators express interest
The city government of Incheon, South Korea will apply for a casino license in partnership with China’s Macrolink Group Ltd., a real estate firm that also works in the financial investment field. According to Reuters, the team will bid jointly for a casino resort development license by the end of the month.
A number of international investors have their eyes on South Korea, especially the holiday island of Jeju and the vicinity around Incheon International Airport. The operators include Genting Singapore Plc, Caesars Entertainment Corp. and Philippines-based Bloomberry Resorts Corp. In April, the U.S.-based Mohegan Tribal Gaming Authority joined with the Incheon International Airport Corp. in a plan to develop a casino resort adjacent to the airport.
The latter resort would include an 18,500-square-meter (199,100-square-foot) casino with 250 tables and 1,500 slot machines; it would require the Mohegan Sun operator to win a gaming license from the South Korea Ministry of Sports, Culture and Tourism.
According to GGRAsia, the government of South Korea plans to approve two additional casino licenses this year. The country has a total of 17 casinos, but 16 of them are open only to foreigners.
