Jeju’s former Gold Mountain Casino in 3-month suspension to February 2027 after claims of staff cheating

The former Gold Mountain Casino, a foreigner-only gaming facility on the South Korean holiday island of Jeju, has been placed under a three-month operational suspension by the local government until February 1, 2027. The information was confirmed to GGRAsia by the Jeju Special Self-Governing Province Government. An official also said – in response to GGRAsia’s enquiry – that the casino had changed its name to Felix Casino on August 12, amid an effort to “improve its image”, in the words of the official. The sanction of operational suspension has been applied under the new name Felix Casino. The pause follows an investigation into allegations that some casino staff at the venue cheated three Chinese customers out of approximately KRW100 million (US$74,900) during blackjack games on June 7 and 8, according to the local authorities. An official at the Jeju government told GGRAsia that the authorities had notified the facility’s operator in late September of a proposed administrative penalty of business suspension and invited the operator to make representations on the matter. Following a hearing process completed by October 20, the authorities issued the suspension order on October 30, and it took effect from November 2. According to the official, the operator complained that receiving the suspension order on a Friday evening, ahead of its implementation on Monday, November 2, left insufficient time to make arrangements for customers, employees and business partners over that weekend. The government maintained that the required administrative procedures had been followed. A Jeju official had previously told GGRAsia that allegations concerning Gold Mountain Casino staff cheating players had been referred to prosecutors in Jeju on September 11. They were said to be conducting a separate investigation. Jeju island has eight foreigner-only casinos. Three, including Felix Casino, formerly known as Gold Mountain Casino, are currently closed. Another of the shuttered facilities is Jeju Wanli Casino, which suspended operations on October 31 and is due to stay closed until December 31, with the local government citing “financial difficulties” as a factor.