Best Online Casino Sites in South Korea 🏆
The team at Jackpot Slayer use a strict review process to bring you all the best online casino sites in South Korea. We analyse every detail, from games and payment methods to security and bonuses, and even the customer service options and level of service.
Our team of expert gamblers have decades of experience to their names. We’ve played at the best and worst online casinos in South Korea, so we know what to look for to bring you the best of the best, especially in terms of license and regulation from reputable gambling authorities based in other countries.
| Number | Casino | Rating | Bonus | Freespins | Info | Play Now |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |
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1xBet Casino | 100% Bonus | 150 Freespins | Play Now | |
| 2 |
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888 Casino Review | 100% Bonus | 30 Freespins | Play Now | |
| 3 |
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LeoVegas Review | 100% Bonus | 100 Freespins | Play Now | |
| 4 |
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Vera John Review | 200% Bonus | 100 Freespins | Play Now | |
| 5 |
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Whamoo Review | 90% Bonus | 70 Freespins | Play Now |
18+ | T&C's Apply | Gamble Responsibly and only bet money that you can afford to lose. Read more about how we rate online casinos.
Can I play Casino in South Korea?🎮
The short answer is yes. There are no stringent laws that prohibit you from playing at online casinos in South Korea. But take note, it is illegal for South Koreans to gamble locally – either at land-based casinos or online casinos.
That means you can play at offshore licensed and regulated online casinos – those casinos based in another country that caters to South Koreans. While you might not always be able to play in local currency, all the best casino sites accept major currencies like USD, GBP and EURO.
FAQ 🙋
Frequently asked questions about online casinos in South Korea
⚖️ Are online casinos legal in South Korea?
No, online casinos in South Korea are illegal, but locals can play at offshore casinos with deposit options like foreign bank accounts, Bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies.
🏆 Which are the best online casinos in South Korea?
The best online casinos in South Korea are those that are licensed and regulated offshore and accept players from Korea. These casinos offer handsome bonuses, plenty of casino games and excellent customer support, along with convenient and safe payment methods.
🔞 What is the legal age limit to gamble in South Korea?
Gambling in South Korea is illegal. Most offshore online casinos require you to be 18 years or older to register an account and ask for verification of your identity to ensure you of legal gambling age.
💰 Which Online casino in South Korea has the best payout?
It differs from one online casino in South Korea to the next, and it depends on your gaming preferences. Check out our in-depth reviews of the best online casinos in South Korea to find the right platform for you and your budget.
📜 Are the best online casinos in South Korea licenced?
Yes, but they operate offshore and are licensed by renowned regulators like the Malta Gaming Authority, Alderney, the Government of Curacao and the United Kingdom Gambling Commission.
🎁 Do the best casinos in South Korea offer casino bonuses?
Yes! All the best casinos in South Korea that we recommend offer a range of bonuses that help to stretch your gambling budget and extend your gameplay. Always remember to read the bonus’s wagering requirements and terms before you accept it.
🧾 Are online casino winnings taxed in South Korea?
No, provided you play at offshore online casinos. Local online casinos in South Korea are forbidden or regulated heavily by the government and therefore there is heavy taxation on such winnings.
🤝 Do all online casinos accept South Koreans?
The best online casinos in South Korea on our top list accept South Korean players, but you’ll often have to convert your funds to US Dollars.
Most Popular Deposit Methods in South Korea⭐
While it’s difficult to find online casinos in South Korea that accept Korean Won, there are some that do. But most of the best online casino sites will convert your deposits into USD and many accept cryptocurrencies.
Popular online casino deposit methods for Korean players include:
It is extremely difficult for South Koreans to gamble online, with payments to casinos via your credit or debit card or bank transfer strictly prohibited. Even PayPal has restrictions for Korean gamers. Your best bet is to open a foreign bank account or find the best crypto casinos to play at.
Live Casino in South Korea 🔴
The best online casinos in South Korea are the ones that are based offshore. While it can be a tricky task, with the government doing its best to ban access to the best online casino sites, South Koreans still have access to plenty of great international online casinos, including live casinos.
Live casinos in South Korea allow you to deposit funds, take advantage of awesome bonuses and enjoy a variety of live dealer games, all from home or on your mobile device. All you need is a reliable internet connection, and you can play variations of games like:
- Live Roulette
- Live Craps
- Live Baccarat
- Live Poker
- Monopoly Live
- Dream Catcher
Live casinos bring all the excitement of the casino floor to your computer or mobile device’s screen. So, while you may not be allowed to visit a land-based casino in Korea, you can take part in live games and live casino tournaments with real dealers based in studios that look like casino floors.
Live dealers offer up exciting chatter, real card shuffling and wheel spinning and the chance to talk with your opponents as the games play out. Thanks to software developers like Evolution Gaming and NetEnt, you can enjoy a wide range of games in high definition and in real-time.
Popular South Korea Casino Games 🎲
Online casinos in South Korea are filled with tons of exciting casino games. Slots are especially popular amongst Korean players, with plenty of Asian and Marvel-themed slots. There are even a select few slots aimed specifically at the Korean market. Koreans can also enjoy popular jackpot slot games, progressive slots and waterfall slots.
All the best online casino sites in South Korea offer up a list of table games to try your hand at, too. If you prefer games of skill, you can try staples like Poker, Roulette and Blackjack. There are plenty of versions also, like La Partage Roulette, Sic Bo, Atlantic City Blackjack, Punto Banco, Single Deck Blackjack, Oasis Poker and many more.
Any well-rounded casino boasts a vibrant video poker section, and this is the case with the best online casinos in South Korea. With titles like Joker Pro, Aces & Eights, Deuces Wild and Jacks or Better, you can enjoy a variety of top-quality video poker games with engaging gameplay and some excellent payout potential.
As you can see, Koreans have access to a plethora of exciting casino games. South Korea doesn’t have a long gaming history, so it’s difficult to single out a particularly historical game, with different players having different preferences.
Casino Bonuses in South Korea 🎁
While you can’t play locally, international casinos that accept players from South Korea offer plenty of enticing bonuses that you can take advantage of, such as:
- No deposit bonuses – a small bonus for registering a new player account.
- Free spins – a set of free spins to play on certain slot games.
- Welcome match deposit bonuses – a percentage of your deposit is matched to expand your initial budget.
- Reload bonuses – a bonus for funding your casino account, usually in the form of a percentage of your deposit.
- Refer a friend bonus – a small bonus for getting a friend to sign up and make a deposit at the casino.
- Cashback bonuses – a percentage of your deposit back when you’re on a losing streak.
- Loyalty bonuses and promotions – special offers and perks for loyal players. VIP players often receive a dedicated casino host and exclusive promotions along with invitations to special events.
Before you accept any type of bonus offer at online casinos in South Korea, you need to read the terms and conditions and wagering requirements.
Wagering (or playthrough) requirements are the number of times you must play through the bonus funds before you can withdraw the winnings. We always show this as a number and x (for instance, 45x) in our reviews, so you know what you’re getting into.
As for terms and conditions, casino bonuses in South Korea carry very specific terms, like which games you can spend your bonus on, which games count towards the wagering requirements, the minimum deposit you must make to trigger the bonus, any restrictions on winnings and even which deposit methods are eligible or not for the offer.
Any online casino worth its weight offers South Korean players handsome bonuses and ongoing promotions to get them to sign up and keep playing on their platform. They also offer loyalty and VIP programmes to reward regular players.
Betting in South Korea ⚽
As we’ve said, online gambling sites in South Korea are illegal, and they’re heavily targeted by the government. As a result, South Korean citizens seek services from operators that are licensed in other countries.
To date, the government maintains a monopoly on sports betting, with a big percentage of profits from betting ploughed into the sports they are bet on. Just before the turn of the millennium, the country’s Sports Toto organisation formed, entirely regulated and owned by the South Korean government.
Sports Toto paved the way for local citizens to legally bet on sports like baseball, basketball and football. But this only applies to offline bets with betting limits ranging from KRW 100,000 and betting markets are limited for South Koreans.
This is why South Koreans would rather seek international sports betting sites to bet on their favourite sports.
Taxation and South Korea Casino Winnings 📜
Online casinos in South Korea that operate within the country must adhere to the government’s gambling taxes required of license holders. The same goes for South Korean players, who incur high taxes on their winnings within the country.
For instance, players in South Korea who win something on the local lottery are subject to gambling taxes of anything between 22% and 30%. It’s a lot of money to lose, which is obviously frustrating for South Koreans.
The good news, though, is that there are currently no taxes on other gambling games, like winnings from South Korean offshore casinos that you will find on our top list of the best online casino sites.
Brief History of Gambling in South Korea📖
South Korean gambling has a complicated history, that dates all the way back to when Korea split from its Northern counterpart. It wasn’t until the end of World War II that gambling made its way into South Korean culture. But the government was quick to implement regulations.
At the time, Koreans were forbidden to place bets either inside or outside the country. It was only during the 1900s that lotteries, cycling, horse racing and boat racing were the only acceptable forms of gambling.
Both land-based and online casinos in South Korea, though, were banned up until 1967, when a few hotels were permitted to offer casino games like slots and table games, but only to foreigners. Local Koreans could not visit or gamble at these hotels.
While it doesn’t look like legislation is set to change anytime soon in the country, you can find the best online casino sites in South Korea on our top list. All of these sites are licensed and regulated overseas and accept Korean players.
South Korea Casino License and Regulation 🛡️
When it comes to choosing online casinos in South Korea, you need to figure out whether or not a site is legit for you to play at. While the Korean legal framework completely bans online gambling, there are more than enough sites online to choose from, provided you’re careful.
Now you know that both offline and online casino gambling laws in South Korea are extremely strict, and residents face prosecution if they’re caught playing, finding reputable online casinos to wager at can be a daunting prospect.
Locally, the Korean National Gambling Control Commission keeps an eye on gambling laws. Under local legislation, Article 246 of Chapter 23 of the country’s Criminal Act states that South Korean gamblers can be fined as much as KRW 5 million or even sentenced to imprisonment for up to 3 years. It makes it obvious that you should only play at offshore online casinos, right?
But when it comes to underhanded operators of online casinos in South Korea, the legal framework gets stricter. Anyone illegally operating online gambling websites in the country face life sentences.
Even the popular game of poker is banned for South Koreans. But it doesn’t stop Koreans from finding the best online casino sites abroad, with many now turning to crypto trading for anonymous and safe online gambling.
We only recommend online casinos that are licensed overseas from reputably regulatory bodies, such as:
- The UK Gambling Commission
- Malta Gaming Authority
- Isle of Man
- Alderney
- Government of Curacao
- Kahnawake
How to Play Casino in South Korea 🕵️
There are ways around gambling in South Korea, especially at our top list of online casinos. The first choice is a foreign bank account. Bank transfers, credit card and debit card transfers to any type of online casinos in South Korea are completely banned. It’s not even worth trying.
To make things even more complicated, access to many foreign online e-wallets are banned or severely restricted for South Koreans. Even one of the most popular gambling e-wallets, PayPal has a different operation for Koreans that come with some strict restrictions – like you are not allowed to transfer funds to non-Korean PayPal accounts.
Other options like Skrill, Neteller and QIKI are banned, too, when it comes to connecting them to your Korean bank account. The way around this is to open a foreign bank account with no restrictions. It is entirely legal for South Koreans to transfer funds from a Korean bank account to a foreign Bank account, and then to an online wallet to play at online casinos in South Korea.
VPNs are also an option, depending on the site, as is cryptocurrency. Cryptocurrencies are becoming more and more accepted at online casinos, and it is an ideal workaround for South Korean gamblers. It’s worth noting that South Korea has severely clamped down on cryptocurrency since the 2018 crash, but with more crypto casinos out there, and the ability to play safely and anonymously, it’s the perfect solution to playing at online casinos in South Korea.
Getting started at online casinos in South Korea is easy enough, though.
- Choose a casino from our top list of South Korean casinos.
- Register an account – this usually takes a few minutes.
- Choose a safe username and password.
- Verify your new account and log in.
- Make your first deposit and claim any bonuses.
- Remember to verify your identity and address before you make your first withdrawal.