WanLi Jeju Casino postpones its grand opening pending Sheraton Jeju Hotel

WanLi Jeju Casino has yet to set the date for its "grand opening" after a soft launch held on September 2, and it conditions the full event on the stable operation of the linked hotel, Sheraton Jeju Hotel, which reopened on September 14, Vincent Loi, the casino's operations director, told GGRAsia. The renovated hotel complex offers around circa 400 rooms after replacing the previous Ramada Plaza by Wyndham Jeju Ocean Front, but not all rooms are yet available, according to Loi.

Operational status after the soft launch of WanLi Jeju Casino

The operator relaunched the gaming space for foreigners on the tourist island of Jeju with a soft opening on September 2. Since that date, the venue has been operating a total of 44 gaming tables. Of these, approximately 70% —30 tables— are dedicated to baccarat, and 18 of those baccarat tables are reserved for VIP play, Vincent Loi stated in his most recent comments to GGRAsia.

The assortment of games in the room includes Texas hold’em poker, blackjack, and the Chinese card game Niu Niu, according to Loi. The operational focus of the venue is directed towards mass play, a strategy that management had already highlighted in previous interviews with GGRAsia.

Precondition: Sheraton Jeju Hotel and room availability

The full reopening of the casino is linked to the operational performance of the Sheraton Jeju Hotel. The property, which has been remodelled from its previous stage as Ramada Plaza by Wyndham Jeju Ocean Front, opened its doors on September 14, but the casino management asserts that the hotel has still not made all rooms available to the public.

Vincent Loi stated that the casino management expects the Sheraton to "function more smoothly" before announcing the grand opening of the casino. The interdependence between the hotel and casino conditions both the accommodation capacity for customers and the logistics of services related to VIP operations and group bookings.

Seasonal demand and reservations for Golden Week

The executive pointed to a positive trend in room bookings ahead of the Chinese Golden Week, the holiday period beginning with China's National Day on October 1 and extending until October 7 this year. Golden Week is traditionally a peak season for overseas travel by tourists from mainland China.

The prior calendar also included the Mid-Autumn Festival, which took place from September 25 to 27 and tends to advance or intensify tourism demand around that period. In South Korea, the month of October includes two public holidays: a substitute holiday for National Foundation Day on October 5 (this year a Monday) and Hangeul Day on October 9 (this year a Friday).

Gaming product and commercial focus of the venue

WanLi Jeju Casino, which represents the reconfiguration of the previous Gongzi Casino in the same location, prioritises mass gaming. The current composition of tables — 44 in total with 30 for baccarat and 18 of these for VIP — reflects this commercial positioning. In addition to baccarat and poker, the offering includes blackjack and Niu Niu, games that have roots among visitors from Chinese markets and the region.

The focus on mass implies specific operational decisions: having high-turnover tables, flexible limits, and a hotel product that supports both short stays for tourists and stays oriented towards VIP clients. The lack of full room availability at the Sheraton limits, for now, the immediate scaling of that strategy.

Implications for local operators and stakeholders

The coordination between hotel management and casino operations is a critical element in integrated resorts. In this case, the management of WanLi Jeju Casino has opted to withhold the announcement of the grand opening until the hotel capacity and Sheraton operations are fully functional.

For travel agents, tour operators, and gaming operators monitoring the island of Jeju, the concrete data provided by Loi is relevant: date of the soft launch (September 2), hotel reopening (September 14), number of tables (44), proportion of baccarat tables (circa 70% = 30 tables), and VIP baccarat tables (18). These elements define the immediate offering available for international visitors.

“The grand opening will depend on the Sheraton Jeju Hotel functioning more smoothly,” Vincent Loi told GGRAsia.

What remains to be resolved and upcoming milestones

Immediate milestones to watch are the publication of an official date for the grand opening by the management of WanLi Jeju Casino and the complete availability of the ~400 rooms at Sheraton Jeju Hotel. Demand for Golden Week and the Korean public holidays in October will provide early data on the elasticity of supply and the need to expand operations.

For stakeholders interested in Jeju's gaming product, the operator has made its priority clear: consolidate the hotel experience and then scale casino activity to full capacity.