Asia once again revealed two opposing visions for the future of gaming on June 18, 2026. While South Korea is seeking to ease regulatory restrictions to strengthen the competitiveness of its casino industry against the future MGM Osaka integrated resort in Japan, Indonesia is intensifying its crackdown on illegal online gambling through increased funding and expanded financial enforcement measures.
The push in South Korea comes from Kangwon Land Inc. and Grand Korea Leisure (GKL), two of the country’s leading gaming operators. Both companies have urged the government to reduce administrative and regulatory hurdles that currently slow expansion projects, property upgrades and new developments. Their argument is straightforward: if South Korea does not accelerate approvals and modernization efforts, it risks losing market share to the integrated resort being developed by MGM Resorts International and Orix Corporation in Osaka, a project carrying an estimated US$10 billion investment and scheduled to open in 2030.
The concern is significant. South Korea currently operates 18 licensed casinos, but only Kangwon Land is permitted to serve local residents. The remaining 17 casinos are restricted to foreign visitors, including the Seven Luck Casino properties operated by GKL. The sector generated approximately KRW3.23 trillion (US$2.3 billion) in gross gaming revenue during 2024, representing an 18.3% year-on-year increase, while visits to foreigner-only casinos surged 42.4%.
The industry is overseen by the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism (MCST) and the National Gambling Control Commission, both of which are now facing growing pressure to streamline approvals, expansions and infrastructure improvements before new regional competition arrives.
Ivan Yustiavandana
Indonesia, meanwhile, is moving in the opposite direction. Ivan Yustiavandana, head of the Financial Transaction Reports and Analysis Centre (PPATK), has requested an additional Rp516.4 billion (US$31.7 million) budget allocation for 2027 to strengthen efforts against illegal online gambling, money laundering and terrorist financing.
The request follows PPATK data showing that online gambling-related transactions reached IDR286.84 trillion in 2025, involving 422 million transactions and approximately 12.3 million users. Since 2024, authorities have frozen 33,252 bank accounts linked to illegal gambling activities. In May 2026, Indonesian police also arrested 321 foreign nationals connected to a network allegedly operating more than 70 online gambling websites.
South Korea views regulated casino gaming as a strategic tool to protect tourism, investment and employment against the emerging challenge from Japan, while Indonesia continues strengthening enforcement under Article 303 of the Criminal Code and the Electronic Information and Transactions Law (ITE Law) to eliminate illegal online gambling from its financial system.
