The South Korean government has announced legal guidelines to put an end to so-called “pseudo-casino operations.”
According to Asia Gaming Brief, last February lawmakers amended the country’s Tourism Promotion Act, adding a clause to target unlicensed gaming operations. Violators can face as much as seven years behind bars or fines of up to US$51,000.
South Korean gamblers are only permitted to gamble at one casino in the country, Kangwon Land Casino in remote Gangwon Province. That hasn’t stopped poker bars known as “hold’em pubs” from cropping up around the country. There, patrons can win rewards points or credits that can be converted to cash.
The law revision was designed to “cease the illegal activities at hold’em pubs,” the government stated.
