Jeju, South Korea, November 2, 2026. The Chinese Consulate General in Jeju has urged South Korean authorities to strengthen casino oversight and crack down on the illegal recruitment of Chinese tourists through social media, warning about intermediaries promoting gambling trips to establishments licensed exclusively for foreign visitors.
The warning, reported by Jemin Ilbo on October 27 and officially released by the consulate on October 28, follows complaints from Chinese nationals contacted through digital platforms and private messages. The diplomatic mission, headed by Consul General Chen Jianjun, called on the provincial government to strengthen enforcement and preserve tourism relations between China and South Korea, which established diplomatic ties in 1992.
Wi Seong-gon
Article 303 of China's Criminal Law provides prison sentences of up to five years for illegally operating casinos, increasing to ten years in serious cases, including certain activities involving the organization of cross-border gambling. Jeju, governed by Wi Seong-gon, inspected seven of its eight casinos between October 1 and 7, under the coordination of the Tourism and Exchange Bureau, headed by Hwang Kyeong-seon.
The island welcomed approximately 1.9 million visitors from mainland China, Hong Kong, Macau, and Taiwan in 2025. Between January and July 2026, 980,804 mainland Chinese tourists arrived (+4.2%). The market includes Jeju Dream Tower Casino, operated by Lotte Tour Development, alongside Landing Casino at Jeju Shinhwa World and Paradise Casino Jeju Grand, with no substantiated individual allegations linking these establishments to the recruitment activities.
Jeju Dream Tower recorded KRW 62.526 billion (US$46.5 million) in net gaming revenue during October, representing 24.1% year-on-year growth, with 66,254 visitors. Separately, Gold Mountain Casino faces an independent investigation into alleged marked-card fraud involving three Chinese tourists and approximately KRW 100 million. The case involves six individuals referred to prosecutors in September. The consular warning does not announce arrests, new penalties, or restrictions against South Korean casinos.
