50% of Jeju residents believe foreigner-only casinos are responsible for surge in local crime

In a survey conducted by the South Korean Jeju Special Self-Governing Province, more than half of the island’s residents believe that a rise in local crime is the result of the island’s casinos that are exclusive to visitors.

A total of 1,000 islanders, aged 19 and older, participated in the survey. Of them, 49.9 percent believed that casinos had a role in the increased crime rate in the area, while 14.2 percent disagreed.

In South Korea, it is illegal to gamble, and the majority of casinos only let in foreign visitors. On Jeju Island, the eight casinos exclusively for foreigners are governed by the provincial government. The research was unable to provide an explanation for respondents’ association between increased crime and casino operations.

More than half of those surveyed (51.4%) think that state regulations governing casinos should be tightened, while 27.3% think that the industry needs more support from the government. Positively, over 40% of islanders said that casinos contribute to boosting tourism expenditure and drawing in more international tourists, and 33.7% claimed that the industry aids in job creation.

Chinese tourists have historically been allowed admission to Jeju Island without a visa. The island is home to casinos such Jeju Shinhwa World, which is overseen by Shin Hwa World, formerly known as Landing International Holdings, and the Jeju Dream Tower resort, which is operated by Lotte Tour.

Original story by: Asia Gaming Brief