South Korea Cracks Down on "Hold'em Pubs" Amidst Illegal Gambling Concerns

In a concerted effort to combat illegal gambling activities, the South Korean government has enacted new regulations aimed at closing legal loopholes exploited by establishments commonly known as "hold'em pubs." Reports from South Korean media outlets reveal that the Ministry of Culture, Sports, and Tourism, in collaboration with the National Police Agency and the National Gambling Control Commission, spearheaded the development of these measures to curb the proliferation of what are often termed "pseudo-casinos."

A key amendment to Article 26 of the Tourism Development Law targets gambling operations wherein a non-casino operator, while not directly representing the casino, facilitates gambling activities to the financial benefit of select individuals, often to the detriment of others. This amendment seeks to tighten regulatory oversight and enhance legal mechanisms to suppress such illicit practices.

Under the revised regulations, offenders face stringent penalties, including up to seven years of imprisonment or fines of up to 70 million won. Notably, the scope of the new rules extends to encompass twenty distinct gambling formats, ranging from traditional slot machines to table games like roulette, blackjack, craps, poker, baccarat, bingo, and mahjong.