STIRRING THE POKIE POT

For this edition of Asia Gaming Briefings, which coincides with the Australasian Gaming Expo, we are dedicating our focus section to trends in the electronic gaming sector.

Gaming machines are gaining traction across the region, especially in jurisdictions such as the Philippines, where the regulator and some of the operators are more accommodating than most about trialling new products.

Australia has for decades been the world’s largest slot machine market, but industry insiders lament that there is a lack of innovation to drive growth. We look at this delicate balancing act between breathing new life into the market, without creating harm to the consumers. We also take a look at some of the ways live casino operators are introducing innovations to differentiate their services to stay ahead of the competition and we examine trends in online slot machines as game developers are being forced to pay even closer attention to the preferences of individual Asian markets. For our last article in this section, we talk to Gamesource Managing Director Iao Lam, who aims to shake up the slot machine market with new types of games that will potentially appeal to that key millennial audience and as Lam says to “bring in new blood.”

In these pages you’ll find the most relevant developments across the region in our Jurisdictional Reports. Starting off, Macau’s reputation as the go-to destination for casino VIPs is under threat. With potential returns for junkets having diminished in Macau, new locations are becoming more attractive.

Further afield, Saipan is considering online gaming. So far, the region’s experience with gaming has been a rollercoaster ride: a near-vertical climb, followed by a precipitous drop. Some in the industry are sceptical its chances online will be more favourable.

Meanwhile veteran online regulator/ operator PAGCOR grapples with POGO concerns: It’s trying to enforce the rules without killing the goose that lays the golden egg. The Mekong region, the focus of AGB’s upcoming Mekong Gaming Summit in Phnom Penh later next month, is developing as expeditiously as it is allowed.

In Vietnam, the second major IR debut is expected late in the year, with the first phase of the $4 billion Hoiana resort. While the country’s expansion has not been at the rapid pace of neighbouring Cambodia, many foreign investors view Vietnam as a highly attractive market, with better controls and regulation.

Meanwhile, breakneck expansion of Cambodia’s casino industry has raised concerns that construction and environmental standards are being ignored. The government is now taking action, though industry insiders question whether they have the resources to monitor developments.

Coming full circle, AGB will be in Sydney for the Australasian Gaming Expo (AGE) which will be celebrating its 30th anniversary over three days from 13-15 August 2019.

As the most significant gaming industry event in Australia, and arguably one of the world’s largest hospitality and gaming trade shows, the event will host as many as 200 of the world’s best gaming and hospitality equipment and service providers, with more than 8,000 industry executives from around the region expected to attend.

AGE will also host its third annual AGE Seminar Program, co-produced by Asia Gaming Brief. The seminars gather regulators, operators, and suppliers, providing insights through a meticulously developed program to help hotel, clubs, and casinos plan for the year ahead.

To book a meeting at Asia Gaming Brief during the show, email us at AGE@AGBrief.com.

On behalf of Asia Gaming Brief

Rosalind Wade & Luis Pereira

Publishers