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Traveling is a great way to get familiar with other cultures, and experience something you might not do on the regular. One activity that can be especially fun to do while traveling is gambling. Gambling holds a great and long history, and in some countries, there is a unique gambling culture.
The history of gambling Did you know that gambling dates back to ancient civilizations? There has been found evidence of the earliest forms of gambling in Egyptian hieroglyphics and Chinese writings, which depict games of chance played with dice and other objects. Betting on horses has also been a popular pastime throughout history, and was formerly associated with high-class society.
Gambling also holds a long and interesting history in Korea, which dates all the way back to the Three Kingdoms period. Only the riches were allowed to bet at this time and was mostly done with dice, with the Korean card game Go-Stop and Bull Fighting, which is a game played with wooden or metal figures.
Modern gambling in Korea The various forms of gambling look very different today and have also been heavily regulated in Korea during the 20th century. Most forms of gambling in Korea are banned, however, some forms are still legal. Furthermore, as a tourist, you are allowed to gamble in some ways that are otherwise restricted. It is important to know these laws if you wish to gamble on online slots in Korea or bet on horses for example.
Online gambling Online gambling came with the rise of the internet. It is now a very popular form of gambling, as players can play casino games and bet on sports whenever and wherever they want. While it is illegal for a company to create an online casino based in Korea, citizens are able to gamble on casinos online that are based in a foreign country where it is legal. If you as a tourist wish to gamble online while in some popular Korean destinations this Lunar new year holiday, it is important that you find some good, legal and reputable casino sites before you start.
Land-based gambling in Korea In addition to online gambling, there are several ways to gamble legally as a tourist in a land-based location. There are 17 casinos in South Korea, but only one of them, Kangwon Land, allows locals to gamble. The rest are for foreigners only and are located in tourist areas such as Jeju Island and the Incheon International Airport. You can also bet on horse racing, or participate in the Korean lottery for a fun gambling experience while traveling in this beautiful country.
We have witnessed huge revenue from the gambling industry in South Korea in the last decade. However, there has been slightly less gambling in the last couple of years, which can be connected to the pandemic in 2020. Now that tourism and casinos are up and running, the gambling scene can continue to play its part, and experience more growth than ever.
