Inspire Entertainment Resort in Yeongjongdo, Incheon has entered its third year of operations with exceptional momentum, posting the strongest casino growth among Korea’s foreign-player only operators. As reported by The Asia Business Daily, the property recorded KRW 267.2bn (US$203m) in casino revenue for its 2025 fiscal year, a 147.6% increase from the previous year’s KRW 107.9bn.
The performance far outstripped growth in Inspire’s non-gaming businesses, which saw increases in the 20 to 40% range across hotels, food and beverage, and entertainment. According to the resort, the surge is driven by robust demand from Chinese and Japanese visitors, supported by new technology and loyalty partnerships designed to improve convenience and brand alignment.
Inspire became the first integrated resort in Korea to launch a WeChat Mini Program, enabling Chinese customers to book amenities directly through the messaging platform. The resort also linked its membership points with the Hilton loyalty programme, enhancing appeal among international travellers. Marketing packages combining accommodation and entertainment were cited as another factor generating interest among new visitors.
The growth has placed pressure on established inland operators Paradise and Grand Korea Leisure, which posted much slower revenue increases of 9.9% and 8% respectively, despite their larger overall scale. Paradise reported KRW 900.5bn in casino revenue last year, while GKL recorded KRW 425.3bn.
Jeju Dream Tower, operated by Lotte Tour Development, has also climbed rapidly, reporting KRW 476.6bn in foreign-player only casino revenue, up 61.8% year-on-year. The resort has seen a sharp rebound since the return of Chinese group tours and achieved over KRW 50bn in monthly revenue for three consecutive months. Visitor numbers and revenue have increased sevenfold and thirteenfold respectively compared to 2021.
Industry observers expect strong competition for the number two position in the year ahead, with the visa-free policy for Chinese group tourists extended through the first half of this year and continued demand from Japanese travellers. Operators are expected to compete aggressively for these core markets as the sector continues to recover.
Chinese and Japanese tourists remain the core customer base driving growth in the foreign-player only casino segment
