Betting in Jeju-si

As the capital of South Korea’s Jeju Province, the city of Jeju-si is the largest city on Jeju Island, with just over 408,000 residents. It is located on the island’s north coast facing the South Korea mainland and the Yellow Sea. Historically, it was a small trading port, supported by fishing and Mandarin orange farming, but since the 1968 opening of Jeju International Airport, the local economy has concentrated on tourism, taking full advantage of its subtropical climate and easy access.

Among sights to see around Jeju-si are geographic formations like Dragon’s Head Rock and such manmade attractions as “Bunjae Artpia,” the world’s largest botanical garden. It has also developed resort facilities since the 1970s, including prestigious hotels and public casino facilities. In fact, Jeju-si welcomes more than four million visitors from mainland Korea, Japan, and China every year, and in 2011 the air route between the island and Seoul became the world’s busiest with 9.9 million passengers.

Representative of the luxurious resort-casinos found in downtown Jeju-si is the 282-room Jeju KAL Hotel & Casino, operated by Korean Airlines. Its gaming area is open 24/7 with 50 gaming machines and 20 table games, including Big Wheel, Blackjack, Baccarat and Roulette. The property has four restaurants, two bars, a delicatessen, a business center, a shopping arcade, a fitness center and an indoor pool.

Occupying a prominent spot on the waterfront is the 380-room Ramada Plaza Jeju Hotel, which is home to the Ramada Casino. Table games offered include Baccarat, Blackjack, Roulette, Tai Sai and Big Wheel. There are also slot machines open round the clock, all year long. Hotel facilities range from indoor and outdoor swimming pools to a natural tanning room, fitness center, Finnish sauna, the 6th-floor Therapia Spa and seven restaurants. The entire complex, which was designed in 2003 to resemble a deluxe European cruise ship, is financed and run by the Korea Teachers Credit Union.

Also downtown is the luxurious T.H.E. Hotel and Vegas Casino, open daily 24 hours. Its gaming space on the 2nd floor is managed by the U.S.-based Gillmann Group and contains 44 gaming machines and 20 table games, including Baccarat, Blackjack, Mini-Baccarat, Roulette and Tai Sai. The property also features 300 guestrooms, a business centre, a fitness club, a sauna, three restaurants and a bakery.

Just near the harbour is the Jeju Oriental Hotel & Casino, established in 1988. Open 24 hours daily, its gaming space has 50 gaming machines and 19 table games, including Baccarat, Blackjack and Roulette. Western cuisine, including a breakfast buffet, can be enjoyed in the Mont Blanc Restaurant, while Japanese and Korean fare is served in the dining facility called Man Hae Jung. The property also has a bakery, a cocktail bar, a lobby lounge and a coffee shop, plus 313 guestrooms, a business centre, a sauna and a bowling alley.

South of the airport is the Paradise Grand Casino. Its 512-room hotel has been rated as 5-star accommodations, and its gaming area ranks as the most spacious in Jeju-si. The casino’s 25 table games include Blackjack, Baccarat, Mini-Baccarat, Tai Sai, Roulette and Wheel-of-Fortune. There are also 57 gaming machines, and all facilities are open 24 hours a day. Also located on the premises are three restaurants, banquet halls, an outdoor pool and a pine tree garden. A free shuttle bus service operates between the airport, hotel and affiliated 36-hole golf course at the Ora Country Club.

Visitors to Jeju-si should note that casino patrons must be at least 19 years old and show proof in the form of a passport or international ID. Korean citizens are prohibited from playing casino games.

Published on: 22/04/2013

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