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Published: November 10, 2025
In a move that marks a major strategic shift in Asia’s gaming landscape, Bloomberry Resorts exits South Korea, officially announcing the sale of its Jeju Sun Hotel & Casino. The company is selling its Jeju Sun Hotel & Casino after years of struggling under the country’s foreigners-only casino rule.
This decision highlights the growing divide between local and foreign-exclusive casino markets in Asia — and it opens new opportunities for regional operators, gaming studios, and B2B solution providers to redefine their strategies.
Bloomberry, through its South Korean subsidiary Golden & Luxury Co., Ltd., has entered a Share Purchase Agreement (SPA) to divest Jeju Sun’s casino business to Gangwon Blue Mountain Co., Ltd., a local firm. The sale follows nearly a decade of limited success due to Korea’s strict gambling laws, which allow locals to play only at Kangwon Land, a government-owned casino in the mountains of Gangwon Province.
Chairman Enrique Razon Jr. admitted that Jeju Sun was “not a wise investment” because of the foreigners-only restriction, making sustainable resort growth nearly impossible. Combined with the COVID-19 pandemic and policy extensions keeping Kangwon Land exclusive until 2045, Bloomberry decided to refocus entirely on the Philippines, where it operates Solaire Manila and the newly opened Solaire North.
Bloomberry’s decision mirrors that of Mohegan, the U.S.-based operator that recently lost control of its Inspire Resort at Incheon International Airport after defaulting on loans. Both companies faced similar challenges — limited domestic markets, high infrastructure costs, and restricted casino access for locals. Without local participation, casino resorts in Asia struggle to achieve long-term profitability.
Bloomberry’s withdrawal from Korea doesn’t represent a retreat from gaming — rather, it’s a strategic realignment toward sustainable, diversified markets. Here are four emerging opportunities arising from this shift:
Countries like the Philippines, Vietnam, and Cambodia are opening their doors wider to gaming tourism — with some allowing limited local participation (e.g., Vietnam’s Phu Quoc pilot program). Investors can expect stronger returns where both locals and foreigners can engage legally.
Mid-scale IR projects combining casino, MICE (Meetings, Incentives, Conventions, Exhibitions), and leisure facilities will see growing demand across Southeast Asia. These hybrid models attract a more balanced and resilient audience.
As physical casinos face policy constraints, the spotlight shifts to digital experiences — AI-driven customer insights, smart hospitality systems, and immersive AR/VR gaming zones.
The shift away from restrictive jurisdictions opens the door for online gaming, aggregation, and white-label platforms licensed in more flexible markets (e.g., Malta, the Philippines). Companies like Dot Connections are well-positioned to support operators, game studios, and B2B providers in reaching these new audiences with localized, compliant, and high-performance content.
Bloomberry’s exit from South Korea is more than a corporate retreat — it’s a market signal. It tells us that the future of Asian gaming belongs to inclusive markets, tech-driven entertainment, and cross-border digital ecosystems.
As operators pivot toward more adaptable regions and online platforms, aggregators and solution providers will play a crucial role in powering this new phase of connected, data-driven entertainment across Asia.
At Dot Connections, we track policy shifts and disruptive trends shaping the iGaming and online entertainment landscape worldwide. From compliance challenges to new market entries, our team delivers the intelligence operators and providers need to stay competitive.
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