Best Korean betting sites in 2024

If you want to bet on top football events like the English Premier League, the best betting sites in South Korea have hundreds of football markets to choose from. Our team of expert betting writers have scrutinised all of the available betting platforms, and you can read their in-depth report here.

List of Korean betting sites

Found: 10 Bookmakers

Rank Bookmaker Bonus Claim
1 1xBet

100% Welcome bonus up to 130,000 KRW

18+ T&C apply, GambleAware.org

2 22Bet

Welcome Bonus up to 160,000 KRW

18+ T&C apply, GambleAware.org

3 Melbet

100% Welcome bonus up to 119,000 KRW

18+ T&C apply, GambleAware.org

4 Megapari

100% Welcome bonus up to 135,000 KRW

18+ T&C apply, GambleAware.org

5 20Bet

100% Welcome bonus up to €100

18+ T&C apply, GambleAware.org

6 Ivibet

100% Welcome bonus up to $150

18+ T&C apply, GambleAware.org

7 BetWinner

100% Welcome bonus up to 140,623 KRW

18+ T&C apply, GambleAware.org

8 Pribet

Welcome bonus up to €1000

18+ T&C apply, GambleAware.org

9 BC.GAME

200% Welcome bonus up to $500

18+ T&C apply, GambleAware.org

10 Mystake

100% Welcome bonus up to $500

18+ T&C apply, GambleAware.org

Our guide to sports betting in South Korea

Updated:

Sports betting in South Korea

South Korea sports betting has always been popular but the launch of online betting brought the joys of gambling to a new audience. Millions of sports fans now love making predictions on their favourite teams and backing those picks in the betting.

The bookmakers listed on this page allow you to do just that. You can bet using your home computer or mobile app. You can gamble on the top sports and competitions with dozens of markets to choose from in upcoming fixtures. The best betting sites in Korea will even give you a welcome bonus free bet when you sign up.

South Korea sports betting sites

For most of our readers, this will be the most important section of our review. Here, you’ll find details of the betting sites in South Korea we believe are worth your custom. These apps are legal, secure and exciting to use. They offer customers a welcome bonus free bet as well as a list of recurring promos for both new and existing players. 

Look through the list and choose the bookie that most appeals to you. Click the link to that betting site, and your journey will begin. We are confident in recommending any of the sites covered on this page and believe they will give our readers a fantastic online betting experience. The only difficult part will be choosing.

There’s nothing saying you must stick to just one betting app. You can open an account with more than one site and collect the free bet welcome bonus offered by each. This strategy also increases your chances of getting market-best odds on every bet you place.

Best betting sites in Korea:

How to pick the Korean betting site

When you say you want the best betting site, it means a mixture of personal preference plus quality. Here, we take into account both of these things and produce a guide that will help you find the ultimate bookmaker.

  1. Read up on our reviews

    When it comes to information, our bookmaker review page is invaluable. This page will help you to see some of the pros and cons of each bookie along with individual ratings on each feature, leading up to a final score.

    Man reading reviews
  2. Compare your bookmakers

    When you’ve got a decent list, you can then compare some of the ratings and features of each bookie. What does one have that the others do not?
    Man using magnifier
  3. Take the bookmaker for test drives

    You can test out some of the bookies you have picked from our list, allowing yourself to possibly warm to some, testing the usability and overall feel.
    Mobile registration
  4. Decide on your final pick

    After using the bookies, you should have a very good idea of which ones are ideal and which might not be up to your standards. Before signing up to anything, remember to check legislation and more.
    Man looking through magnifier

Betting apps in South Korea

South Korea is notorious for having a high-tech population and these qualities are just as clear as far as mobile betting is concerned. You’ll find plenty of options for mobile online betting in Korea, including the most famous bookies worldwide, such as Betway and Pinnacle. 

With bookies of such caliber, you can expect the same standards of quality in the provision of a high-end mobile experience. Plus, Korean punters can get some juicy bonuses as well. 

Live betting is another very important factor to be considered when ranking bookies for the enjoyable mobile betting experiences they offer to Korean punters.

Mobile betting in South Korea
💯 Available betting features Accumulator, Bet builder, Live stream, Cashout 
🏇 Popular gambling activities Casino, sports betting, horse betting, lottery
🗝️ Keep in mind More recently, South Koreans have started to be big on betting for a number of reasons.
🔣 Popular types of odds Fractional odds
📈 Advantages There are additional options to bet through sports toto and sports proto in addition to overseas bookies
📉 Disadvantages The 22% gambling tax can eventually increase to 30%

With that said, we’ve picked the following: 

Our pick for the best betting app in Korea

The best applications provide comfort and usability for their punters. Today, we’ll take a look at the best application available within your country of South Korea, which offers an optimised betting app or mobile site for you to use.

22bet betting app

  • Football jackpot
  • Live broadcasts every month
  • Top 5 in the betting market variety
  • Loads of withdrawal options
Bet now Read review

18+ T&C apply, GambleAware.org

22bet-384x999w

Legality of Betting in South Korea

South Korea Mobile Betting

Sports betting in Korea continues to grow in popularity at an impressive rate. Gamblers in the region bet legally with licensed bookmakers from overseas. The most famous names in the industry offer betting odds on your favourite sports and are accepting new players from South Korea today. 

You can join a licensed bookie and place bets on the sports you love but, to do so, you must have an account registered. This can be done in just a few minutes via our site. Browse the list of sports betting apps and click the link to get started.

Is sports betting legal in Korea?

Online sports betting in Korea can be done using Sports Toto and Sports Proto.

Free bets & betting offers in Korea

Top South Korea bookmaker bonuses

Everyone loves great bonuses and we obviously recommend trying to claim as many as possible, as it’s basically free money coming from sportsbooks. 

While some bookies will gain attention due to the number of bonuses offered, others will offer a higher percentage in the first deposit, or even hand out more free bets as a way of making up for it. 

There are also those who offer sky-high odds in order to tempt you with the possibility of boosting your punting profits.

Check out the best bookies with the best bonuses for sports betting in Korea:

  1. 22Bet
  2. Pinnacle 
  3. 188BET
  4. Betway
  5. Dafabet

22bey has bonuses for all bettors in South Korea

22Bet is a great option for those who want different types of bonuses. Apart from that, they offer a great welcome bonus of 123.400 KRW for new bettors, which could be used to bet in any sports available on their platform.

Bet now Read review

18+ T&C apply, GambleAware.org

22bet-384x999w

History of sports betting in Korea

South Korea Betting HistoryWith many non-European countries, laws can be quite restrictive when it comes to gambling, and South Korea is one such example. However, even though the indigenous population can be fined if caught gambling deliberately, there are some exceptions that make online betting activities legal. 

But before defining these exceptions, it’s important to clarify that the Korean government actually incites foreigners visiting their land to gamble. Currently, there are a total of 23 casinos based in the peninsula and, although Korean residents can be sent to jail for attending the majority of these casinos, the same doesn’t apply to foreigners, who are allowed to gamble as much as they wish. 

That doesn’t always stop Koreans though, as the vast majority of the population can speak fluent English, so they are not too far away from becoming a gambling nation.

Check out some curious facts regarding betting in Korea:

  1. Koreans can face up to three years in jail if caught attending casinos abroad
  2. Kangwon Land Casino & Hotel is the only casino based in South Korea that Koreans can actually attend without major restrictions
  3. Poker and football are the most popular gambling sports in South Korea
  4. Tottenham Hotspurs have become the most popular football team in South Korea

Even so, although the majority of casinos are forbidden to Koreans there is one they can actually attend: the Kangwon Land Casino & Hotel. With being located in a very remote area of the peninsula, the casino has been cunning enough to extend its customer base. Joking aside, however, Koreans still need to be aware of the intricacies of government concessions, being able to attend Kangwon for only 15 days of the month.

History of sports betting in Korea
🌍 Country South Korea
👌 Language Korean
💲 Currency Won / ₩
⚽ Popular sports Football, Formula 1, tennis
⚖️ Is betting legal Yes
🏢 Regulator Ministry of Science and ICT
🧾 Gambling taxes Only applies to bookmakers
💳 Most popular payment methods Neteller, Skrill, Visa, Mastercard

There are a number of reasons why the local government doesn’t want its citizens involved with gambling too much, one of which is the general idea of the consequences of gambling addiction. This is perhaps why we don’t see Korean versions of all the best betting sites. 

Summary: South Korea betting sites

The aim of this review into Korean betting sites is to advise gamblers of the best, most modern and generous bookies around. Our team has researched the industry in detail, comparing the odds, offers, sports and even the mobile apps of the top firms targeting customers in South Korea.

Only after conducting many hours of professional research did we find ourselves in a position to publish our recommendations. Browse the Korean betting sites that appeal to you and click the link of your chosen bookie to get started. From there, you can register for an account quickly, deposit funds using an e-wallet or debit account, then place bets on your favourite sports. 

Each of the Korean betting sites listed offers a welcome bonus to new customers. These come in the form of a free bet, risk-free bet or enhanced odds and will be added to your betting account balance when your first bet has been placed on the site. 

The South Korea betting sites offering new customers a free bet when they sign up often make the amount equal to your first deposit. So, the more you add to your betting account with your first deposit, the bigger your bonus will be.

Betting sites in Korea FAQs

? Is it possible to claim free bets and bonuses from Korean bookmakers?

Yes, you can claim both free bets and bonuses of all kinds from Korean bookies. All you have to do is complete the requirements of the chosen offer and then you’ll have access to them.

? Is it legal to bet in South Korea?

Most betting activities are prohibited for Koreans, but it is possible to bet on foreign bookmakers without suffering serious consequences.

? Can I bet using Korean Won on foreign websites?

This is going to be a difficult task since very few sites will offer this possibility. The most common is betting in dollars or euros, mainly on European websites.

? Which sports are most popular in South Korea for betting?

Football is really the most popular sport in the country, especially the Premier League as one of Tottenham’s stars is South Korean.

? Are there physical bookmakers within the country?

No, although there are several casinos ‒ normally used by foreigners. The only way to bet on sports is via foreign websites.

? Is DraftKings legal in Korea?

Unfortunately, it is illegal to sign up for bet with DraftKings if you are located in South Korea.

? Does Bet365 work in Korea?

Although betting is heavily regulated in Korea, Bet365 can currently be accessed in Korea.

? What's the best betting site available in Korea?

There are several betting sites which are highly recommended by our experts. In Korea, international bookmakers such as 22Bet, Bet365 and Betway achieved high scores and are viewed as renowned and trustworthy operators.

Review Author

Hugo Bourguignon

Hugo Bourguignon

Greetings. I'm Hugo Bourguignon and I'm proudly one of the writers at MightyTips. I do a little bit of everything on this amazing website and I'm always analyzing the best opportunities for punters. From creating bookmaker reviews to bonuses offered, and much more.