South Koreans are most likely to bet on baseball and football. The most popular sport is football, with punters betting on the K-League and several international tournaments such as the AFC Asian Cup or FIFA World Cup. A few bettors also wager on the English Premier League.
Baseball is another favorite sport in the region. The Olympics, the KBO League, and Major League Baseball (MBL) are all popular bets.
Locals also place a lot of money on horse racing.
How is South Korea’s Sports Betting Regulated?
South Korea has always had a hate relationship with gambling. Law enforcers were keen to crack down on gambling before it was legalized. The government began to focus more on attracting tourists to the country as the years passed. When it came to gambling laws, law enforcers were less strict. Korea launched Sports Toto in 1997 and Sports Proto in 1998.
A few years later, casinos were a part of the Korean landscape. There are eight casinos on Jeju Island, three in Seoul, Kyongju, and two in Busan. Two in Incheon and two in Busan. One each in Pusan Jeongseongun and Pyeong Chang Gun, and Sokch’o City. These casinos are only available to foreign passport holders. These casinos are only available to foreigners and ex-pats who live in the country. They offer various betting options, including video machines, jackpot slots, roulette, blackjack, Tai Sai, and Three-Card Poker.
The government is considering making casinos more accessible for Koreans. That will open foreigner-only casinos to all, even citizens of Korea. Pokerstars.com organized the high-stakes APPT Seoul Poker Tournament last 2012. That shows the openness of Koreans to gambling.
Gambling arrests are primarily due to match-fixing, cheating, and mafia-backed gambling. The government doesn’t enforce strict rules on locals who gamble with their friends while on vacation.
Is online sports betting legal in South Korea?
Although the gambling laws in Korea have remained unchanged over the past decade, the Korean government has become more open to gambling. Many locals are unhappy with the only casino in the country and seek comfort and pleasure in online betting sites.
Online sports betting is technically illegal in South Korea but legal for tourists. Expats, foreigners, and tourists can gamble wherever and whenever they like. Most of the available sports betting options in the country offer less competitive odds than Western leagues. Foreigners resort to online betting sites for the best odds on a specific sport.
Online bookies cater to the Asian market. Many Asian bookies can be accessed in Korean, which is a good option for those who are not fluent in English. These sites accept South Korean won (KRW) and local bank transfers with zero fees. It would be easier for South Koreans to use. Asian bookies may be an excellent option to place soccer/football wagers. You can bet on Korean leagues, La Liga, and English Premier League. These bookies also cover baseball, tennis, and basketball.
You can also access European bookies from Korea. These bookies offer Korean and international sports, which aren’t often offered by Asian betting houses. European sites offer live and pre-match betting. Gamers will be delighted to find more betting options, including home-draw away, total goals, match-winner, correct scores, and first-to-score. Live streaming is also available on online sports betting sites 아바타배팅.
1XBet
1XBet is a top online casino that offers sports betting. That allows game enthusiasts to watch their favorite teams play. You will find a variety of sports options for your clients. They also offer bonuses that give you more reasons to play at their casino. 1XBet ensures that all information is secure and protected. They also allow players to place bets with Bitcoin. Additionally, they accept Entropay as well as local bank transfers for withdrawals.
Every player should also ensure that the casino has a legal license issued to them by respected gambling commissions. That will help with data protection, payment options, acceptable odds, customer service support, fair terms, etc.
