AUSTRALASIA 40
NEW ZEALAND
Asia VIPs creep back to NZ SkyCity Entertainment says its international business is recovering and it expects modest growth in group EBITDA this year, also helped by expansion in New Zealand and an improved performance in its Australian properties.
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he company, which like other accreditation. ‘China Ready’ accreditation is operators in Australasia had been a global accreditation system acknowledging targeting wealthy Asians, saw a drop commitment to providing the best service for in business last year after employees Chinese travellers. from Australia’s Crown Resorts were arrested in “We continue to believe in the long-term China on gambling-related charges. For the full prospects for our International Business and year it’s targeting $10 billion in turnover in its our management team, now led by Stewart international business, with operating margins Neish, has been making a positive impact on broadly in line with the first half of the year. the business,” CEO Graeme Stephens said in SkyCity said it is also evaluating strategies to the interim report. maximize revenue from its existing properties, The company, which generates the bulk including a potential sale of its underperforming of its revenue from its Auckland property, Darwin casino, as well as focusing on new also has a new management team in place. technologies. Rob Campbell began For H1, New Zeaas chairman on Jan. 1 land’s only listed casino following the retirement operator reported an of Chris Moller, while This is one 11.6 percent rise in net Michael Ahearne took of the fastest profit to NZ$93.5 milover as chief operating growing forms lion (US$67.6 million), officer in December. while reported revenue SkyCity has been of entertainment amounted to NZ$554.7 focusing on improving globally with million, an increase of 4 its IT infrastructure to percent. EBITDA reached engage through both strong appeal for NZ$180.8 million, a digital and social media both millennial and positive movement of and recently launched 4 percent year-on-year. a direct-to-television Asian audiences. The international esports studio in its business achieved growth Sky Tower, the result during the period due of a partnership with to an increased focus on key customers, with esports company LetsPlayLive. particularly strong activity over the Golden LPL Studios is a state-of-the-art broadcast Week period in October. Operating margins studio designed exclusively with esports in significantly improved to 21.6 percent vs.12.6 mind. The development will enable LPL to percent, due to the benefits of an operational film esports events at most major Australian review and modest bad debt provisions vs. the and New Zealand venues whilst producing a previous calendar period. world-class broadcast product in 4K or HD to Overall turnover in the international business any linear TV or online partner in the world. was up 9.4 percent to $4.8 billion. SkyCity The setup includes dedicated PC and said about 50 percent of turnover had come console booths, commentary and analysis from junkets during the period ending Dec. desks, and an ultra-modern control room. 31, compared with 40 percent the prior year. “This is one of the fastest growing forms SkyCity has been pushing hard to gain a of entertainment globally with strong appeal share of the Chinese outbound tourism market for both millennial and Asian audiences,” and was recently awarded ‘China Ready’ Ahearne said.
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Asia Gaming Briefings | March 2018
Academics call for pub ban for pokies Academics in New Zealand have called for electronic gaming machines to be banned in pubs and clubs, saying the availability of pokies is a key factor in problem gambling. Professor Max Abbott Dean of Health and Environmental Sciences at Auckland University of Technology, told a recent gambling conference that there has been unprecedented growth in commercial gambling in recent decades, despite research showing the magnitude of gambling-related harm is similar to that of depression and alcohol misuse and dependence. Fellow speaker, Dr Lance O’Sullivan said there is a direct link between addiction to pokies and sick kids. “It’s bad enough that we have diseases of poverty in a first world country like New Zealand, but to see them exacerbated by pokies is extremely frustrating. This is the definition of a preventable epidemic,” he told delegates.
