Esports may be added to South Korea’s Sports Toto
The Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism has included Sports Toto reform among the priority projects in its Sports 2030 Policy Vision.
South Korea.- The South Korean government may add esports to Sports Toto, the country’s only legal sports betting operator. The plan is part of the Sports 2030 Policy Vision unveiled on September 4 by the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism, which lists Sports Toto reform as a priority area.
Sports Toto was created in 2001 ahead of the 2002 FIFA World Cup. The government is considering reforms aimed at capturing bets currently placed on illegal platforms. Vice Minister Kim Dae-hyun says Sports Toto has gone too long without major structural reform.
Esports, an official Asian Games discipline, is being weighed alongside table tennis, handball and billiards as a possible addition by 2028. Other changes proposed include the launch of a mobile app by 2027 in a bid to close the gap in market share with cycling and boat racing, which have a 44.2 per cent online share versus Sports Toto’s 20.1 per cent. Betting hours, now limited to 8am–11pm, could be extended from 2027 to cover overnight European football, a change that would also benefit international esports events. Real-time in-match betting is planned for 2028. The payout rate returned to bettors, currently around 64 per cent, may be increased,
