South Korea’s Kangwon Land pushes back launch of second casino
Summary
Kangwon Land, operator of South Korea’s only locals casino, has delayed the opening of its second gaming hall from 2027 to early 2028. The expansion is part of a wider KRW2.5 trillion (US$1.9bn) development that includes a luxury hotel, upgraded resort facilities and new non-gaming amenities such as walking trails and a luxury pool. The new gaming floor will add 50 tables (bringing the resort total to 250 tables) and 250 gaming machines (for a resort total of 1,610).
Source
Source: https://igamingbusiness.com/casino/south-korea-kangwon-land-pushes-back-second-casino/
Key Points
- • Opening of Kangwon Land’s second casino floor moved from 2027 to early 2028.
- • New gaming floor: 50 tables (250 across the resort) and 250 gaming machines (1,610 in total).
- • The wider project includes a KRW2.5 trillion luxury hotel, resort upgrades and non-gaming attractions such as walking trails, a luxury pool and a new wellness centre already opened in January.
- • Future phases will add a sky bridge linking the casino to High1 Ski and Golf Resort.
- • Kangwon Land aims to shift from a casino-centric revenue mix (currently ~90% gaming) to an integrated-resort model targeting roughly 70% gaming by boosting non-gaming offerings.
- • Total casino area to expand by about 40% (from 14,512 to 20,260 sq metres) and foreigners-only betting limits in parts of the resort will rise sharply, from KRW300,000 to KRW300 million.
Why should I read this?
Because if you follow Asian casino markets or resort development, this matters — Kangwon Land’s delay nudges timelines for regional competition and shows how operators are trying to turn locals casinos into full-scale resorts. Quick hit: it’s a sign the company is pivoting strategy but still leaning hard on gaming revenue.
Context and relevance
Kangwon Land is uniquely positioned as the only locals casino in South Korea, located in remote Gangwon Province. The expansion aims to make the resort more of an integrated destination to compete with foreigner-only resorts near Seoul and Incheon Airport, like Inspire and Paradise City. Increasing non-gaming amenities and raising betting limits for the foreigners’ zone are part of a broader industry trend in East Asia where operators seek diversified revenue streams and resilience against travel or political shocks.
Author style
Punchy — we’ve summarised the essentials so you can see the strategic shift and its likely market implications without wading through the full report.
Source
Source: https://igamingbusiness.com/casino/south-korea-kangwon-land-pushes-back-second-casino/