LAST WORD 54
Sharon Singleton
Managing Editor, AGB
Will Live Shots be a game changer? As we close our final magazine of the year, I’d rather not focus on the doom and gloom wrought by Covid-19 and will instead look at how the pandemic has been a key catalyst for change in the gaming industry.
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he speed and flexibility shown by many at least. The Philippines allows its locals to gamble in companies in changing their business model casinos with no restrictions and the mass market goes and operating structures has been remarkable a long way to covering the bills, so why prevent them and will hopefully position them well for from also making bets online. The second major impediment is a requirement a more profitable future...one that will allow the rethat funds be deposited and withdrawn physically at employment of those who lost their jobs. The online industry has without doubt been a the casinos. In some ways, this appears to defeat the key beneficiary of the lockdowns and has left many purpose of online gambling and reduces potential revenue governments and land-based companies wondering generation if every time a player has a bad day he, or she, has to go back to the casino to top up their funds. how they can get a slice of that rapidly growing pie. On the other hand, it may be a welcome circuit Here once again, the Philippines has taken the lead in Asia in its decision to allow land-based casinos to breaker to help alleviate problem gambling concerns and cuts down on the upfront accept online bets and to license costs for the casinos in putting gaming platforms offering online payment systems in place. games to local Filipinos. The third interesting point The Philippine Amusement It’s nice to to note will be how successful and Gaming Corp (PAGCOR) have, but won’t the Philippines will be in geohas already given out its first fencing its territory. As Gilbert licenses, which it says will be replace the losses pointed out on a recent Asia available to all land-based casinos from the closure Gaming Brief Webinar, it’s an in the country. The first systems interesting opportunity for the may go live by the end of this of borders and online arms of the land-based year, PAGCOR Chair Andrea social distancing suppliers, but only if they have Domingo says. As yet, it’s too early to say restrictions currently a guarantee that bets aren’t coming in from unlicensed whether this will be a gamechanger in place. jurisdictions. These are certainly in Asia, but it’s an experiment issues to be explored. that’s going to be followed Then there’s China. This closely by other jurisdictions year Beijing has again upped in the region. At present, there are several key issues that will prevent the ante against jurisdictions targeting its nationals for the onshore casino licenses, which Domingo refers to gambling, introducing criminal penalties and saying it as Live Shots, from being major growth opportunities. has drawn up a blacklist of countries that it views as Firstly, the ability to bet online will be reserved for the key offenders. The Philippines is thought to be top of that list, but registered VIP players only and only those resident in the Philippines. According to igaming consultant Mark so far Manila has refused to be swayed, instead taking a Gilbert, that’s likely to mean only about 10 to 15 percent more pragmatic approach. Domingo said a big part of of the local casinos’ business. So, it’s nice to have, but the impetus in taking the decision to introduce onshore won’t replace the losses from the closure of borders licenses was the rampant illegal gambling market. It would rather regulate and raise revenue than spend and social distancing restrictions currently in place. However, it’s not inconceivable to think that if this time and resources trying to crack down. It remains tentative toe in the water works without significant hiccups to be seen whether any other governments around the that it might be expanded to cover all registered players region are brave enough to follow.
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Asia Gaming Briefings | December 2020
