Paradise Co. increased September casino revenue by 38.2% year-on-year to KRW86.73 billion (US$64.5 million) although it fell 16.8% from its August record, while Grand Korea Leisure (GKL) rose 7.2% year-on-year and 19.8% month-on-month to KRW37.3 billion (US$27.7 million).
Paradise generated KRW81.1 billion from table games, up 40.4% year-on-year and down 17.9% month-on-month, while gaming machines contributed KRW5.6 billion, up 12.6% year-on-year and 3.2% from August. Its table drop reached KRW605.11 billion, up 6.6%. From January through September, Paradise accumulated KRW744.6 billion (US$554 million), up 10.8%; tables contributed KRW697.29 billion, up 10.3%, and machines KRW47.3 billion, up 19%, with cumulative drop of KRW5.77 trillion, up 8.1%.
Paradise operates Walkerhill in Seoul, Paradise City in Incheon, Paradise Casino Busan and Paradise Casino Jeju Grand. Its CEO and board chairman is Choi Jong-hwan, with Lim Jun-shin serving as COO. The company is also preparing a new Seoul hotel for 2028, with investment estimated at KRW500 billion to KRW550 billion.
GKL, meanwhile, generated KRW34.0 billion from table games, up 8.4% year-on-year, and KRW3.27 billion from gaming machines, down 4.5%. Its casino drop was KRW323.7 billion, down 5.2% month-on-month but up 2.4% year-on-year. Over nine months, it accumulated KRW337.2 billion (US$250 million), up 5.8%, with drop nearing KRW2.97 trillion, up 9.5%.
GKL operates Seven Luck Seoul Gangnam COEX, Seoul Dragon City and Busan Lotte. Its president and CEO is Yoon Doo-hyun; Kim Chun-sik heads Marketing, Cho Ki-jung leads Gangnam and Kang Dong-hyun heads Gangbuk. GKL is a subsidiary of the Korea Tourism Organization, chaired by Park Sung-hyeuck, under the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism, led by Chae Hwi-young. Between January and August, South Korea welcomed 15.05 million international visitors, up 21.6%, while foreign visitor card spending rose 48.5% to KRW14.018 trillion.
