South Korea’s Jeju Dream Tower recorded its strongest monthly casino revenue performance of 2026 in July, with sales reaching KRW51.59 billion (US$36.1 million) as demand continued to improve at the foreigner-only casino operated by Lotte Tour Development.

The July result marked the second-highest monthly casino revenue figure in the property’s history. Revenue increased 18.8% compared with the same month in 2025 and rose 5.8% from June.

Only September 2025 produced a stronger monthly result, when casino revenue reached KRW52.95 billion (US$37 million).

The latest figures were supported by growth across both major gaming categories. Table-game sales reached KRW48.91 billion (US$34.2 million), representing a 17.7% year-on-year increase and a 3.6% improvement compared with June.

Machine-game revenue reached an all-time monthly record of KRW2.69 billion (US$1.88 million). Slot revenue increased 44.1% year-on-year and 76.8% compared with the previous month.

Gaming Growth Continues Despite Lower Table Drop

Jeju Dream Tower’s strong revenue performance came despite a decline in the amount wagered on table games.

Casino table drop, which represents the money customers exchange for chips, fell to KRW216.76 billion (US$151.6 million) in July. The figure was 9.9% lower than a year earlier and decreased 3.5% from June.

Despite the lower drop amount, the property recorded improved hold rates. The table-game hold rate reached 22.6% in July, increasing by 1.6 percentage points from June and 5.3 percentage points compared with July 2025.

The slot machine hold rate also improved, reaching 5.7% in July compared with 3.7% in June and 5.5% a year earlier.

Visitor numbers also remained strong. Jeju Dream Tower welcomed 62,706 casino visitors during July, an increase of 10.6% year-on-year and 2.6% from the previous month. The monthly visitor figure was the second-highest since the casino began operations in June 2021, behind May’s record of 63,192 visitors.

According to Inside Asian Gaming, for the first seven months of 2026, casino revenue at Jeju Dream Tower reached KRW317.34 billion (US$222 million), up 33.3% compared with the same period last year.

During the January-to-July period, casino table drop totaled nearly KRW1.43 trillion (US$1 billion), representing a 13.1% annual increase.

Hotel Performance Adds To Positive Results

The resort’s hotel business also recorded year-on-year growth in July.

Hotel revenue reached KRW8.78 billion (US$6.1 million), increasing 11.3% compared with July 2025 and rising 9.4% from June.

Across the first seven months of 2026, hotel revenue totaled KRW49.71 billion, an increase of 13.4% year-on-year.

The latest performance comes as South Korea continues to see higher international tourism activity. The country surpassed 10 million foreign visitor arrivals in 2026 by late June, supported by factors including favorable visa conditions, a weaker Korean won and increased Chinese visitor interest amid strained relations between China and Japan.

The continued rise in tourism has provided additional support for casino operators serving international visitors, including Jeju Dream Tower.

Lotte Tour Faces Bond Repayment Requirement

Alongside the July operating results, Lotte Tour Development disclosed that NV8 Holdings had exercised an early repayment option linked to a KRW70 billion (US$49 million) privately placed convertible bond issue.

NV8 Holdings requested repayment on KRW35 billion (US$24.5 million) of the bond principal, representing half of the outstanding issue. Lotte Tour will pay KRW43.54 billion (US$30.4 million), including principal and accrued returns under the bond agreement.

The payment is scheduled for August 31, as the original settlement date of August 29 falls on a holiday.

The bonds were issued in November 2021 and later extended from November 2025 to November 2026. The revised terms allowed NV8 Holdings to request early repayment from August 29, 2026.

Lotte Tour plans to cancel the repurchased bonds, removing their conversion rights. The bonds could otherwise have been converted into approximately 2.74 million shares, representing 3.33% of the company’s outstanding shares.

The company said the cancellation would remove potential share dilution while reducing debt obligations, although it requires a significant cash payment.

The bond repayment request followed a decline in Lotte Tour’s share price after reports that South Korea’s government was considering increasing the tourism promotion and development fund levy for foreigner-only casinos from 10% to 15%. Lotte Tour shares closed at KRW11,620 on July 31, below the bond conversion price of KRW12,762.