South Korean casino operators are seeing major stock gains. Lotte Tour Development shares jumped over 50% since January.
Paradise increased 28% during the same period. Grand Korea Leisure rose 7% over those months.
Lotte Tour operates foreigner-only casinos including Jeju Dream Tower. The company gained 37.4% in the prior month alone.
The National Pension Service noticed these gains. It increased its Lotte Tour stake from 5.01% to 7.05%.
South Korea plans relaxed visa rules for Chinese tourists. The policy won’t start until later in Q3, but investors are already betting on results.
Chinese visitors represent the largest tourist group. They account for about 28% of South Korea’s foreign travellers.
Over 7.1 million foreign tourists visited by May 2025. That’s the highest number since early 2020.
Most South Korean casinos depend entirely on foreign players. Only Kangwon Land in Gangwon Province allows local gamblers.
The other 18 casinos rely solely on international visitors. Chinese tourists represent a crucial revenue source.
December’s martial law declaration hurt visitor numbers. Then-president Yoon Suk Yeol declared martial law but revoked it after six hours.
The Korea Economic Daily reported that Chinese and Japanese tourists “shunned their neighbouring country amid heightened political tensions.” Yoon was arrested on July 10 on rebellion charges.
Tourism is now recovering strongly. Foreign visitor numbers have reached pre-pandemic levels.
China introduced a matching visa-free policy last November. It applies to South Korean nationals plus travelers from Norway, Finland, Denmark and five other countries.
The bilateral programs signal improving relations between the countries.
Kiwoom Securities analyst Lee Nam-su expects increased Chinese interest. He told the Korea Times that visa-free policies should boost “simultaneous growth in key destinations such as Jeju, Seoul and Busan, where many casinos are located.”
DAOL Investment Securities’ Kim Hye-young sees positive trends. She said “there has been a warm breeze between the two countries” since Korea got visa-free entry to China.
Kim thinks steady tourist increases will benefit “foreign casino operators running integrated resort businesses.”
But Chinese gamblers face restrictions. They’re forbidden to play outside China, even where gambling is legal.
Regional cooperation is expanding beyond tourism. South Korea, China and Japan agreed to work together on economic and trade issues.
The Japan Times reported this cooperation became “more crucial than ever as the US trade war shatters the global order.”
Casino stocks reflect investor confidence in these policy changes. The visa exemptions won’t start for weeks, but markets are already pricing in the benefits.
South Korean casino operators depend heavily on foreign visitors. Chinese tourists represent their most important market segment.
The stock gains show investors expect significant tourism increases. Casino companies are positioning for higher revenue when the new policies take effect.
