Seoul's Thriving Underground Poker Scene: Illegal but Popular

Poker is almost entirely illegal for citizens in South Korea. Yet, the game has become incredibly popular, with underground clubs, private games, and online play via VPNs. The Asian Poker Tour, World Poker Tour, and Triton Poker Series have added stops to their tours in Jeju, South Korea. South Korea has nearly 20 brick-and-mortar casinos, but they are only open to tourists. Kangwon Land Casino is the largest casino in South Korea and is open to locals. Steve Yea, one of South Korea's top poker pros, has been playing poker for 20 years.