SUPPLIERS SPECIAL REPORT

Suppliers seek to shake off Covid-19 gloom

There is no doubt that Covid-19 has had a devastating impact on the gaming industry across Asia, with no clear end in sight to the crisis. A two week closure of casinos in Macau, travel restrictions across the region and disruptions to manufacturing supply chains are all taking their toll.

Despite the never ending gloom from the headlines, suppliers are showing remarkable resilience in the face of the crisis, with most telling us they remain bullish on the prospects for Asia. Many are coming off a strong year in 2019 and before the crisis erupted were looking forward to a positive 2020.

In this edition of the Supplier Special, we ask companies for their views on what impact the virus is having on their business plans. The most common response is that it has curbed travel and networking opportunities, with events such as the ASEAN Gaming Summit, being postponed until later into the year.

In the online sphere, many companies are reporting a bump in business from the coronavirus as gamers take to the screens in the privacy of their own homes to play. Here, we hear about the increasing use of mobile technology, which in the space of a few short years has grown to dominate the market, forcing suppliers to adapt their product offering.

Most companies say they are pressing ahead with their agendas and expect activity to pick up rapidly once the virus is contained. Asia remains a key focus for those who already have business in the region and for those who are still trying to get their feet on the ground.

In the interviews, we also ask about key trends suppliers are noticing in the Asian markets and in which areas they are seeing most growth.

Perhaps not surprisingly, the Philippines comes out on top for land-based suppliers, being once again the best-performing market in Asia last year. The government has placed a moratorium on investment in new integrated resorts in Manila, but is keen to see the development of clusters elsewhere in the country. Last year, it was casinos in the Clark Freeport Zone that led growth.

Vietnam is also seen as a strong contender, while in the online world India continues to create considerable buzz.

The interviews provide an insight into the trends and growth patterns across the Asian market as a whole, as well as the development plans of the individual companies.

Sporting cancellations a concern

1XBET

What are your plans for Asia this year and has the coronavirus had a major impact on your projects?

As a socially responsible company, we are concerned about the situation with the coronavirus. We worry about our employees, affiliates, and players - and we hope that scientists will find a way to deal with the virus in the near future.

At the moment, the coronavirus has not had a large-scale impact on our plans. But this can change, because several sporting events have already been postponed due to the threat of an epidemic. However, if, for example, the Olympics or Euro 2020 are canceled in the summer, then, of course, this will impede the plans of the entire betting industry.

But we believe in positivity - and build global plans, trying to actively develop in a wide variety of markets. Of course, Asia is one of the most interesting areas for us: a densely populated area in which people love sports and have an ever-increasing level of digitalization.

In which Asian countries are you seeing the most growth, or potential for expansion?

Given that four of the five most populated countries in the world are in Asia, it is tempting to single them out first. But we believe that each of the countries of such a large region has its own specifics of work, therefore it would be incorrect to single out one of them. We can say that our line of events is diverse enough to instill interest among sports fans from dozens of Asian countries.

Have you noticed any trends in terms of client preferences, or in adoption of new technologies?

We can say that Pan-Asian trends are part of global trends - for example, mobile bets are gaining more and more popularity. Players prefer to bet on those sports that are popular in their countries - say, cricket or kabaddi. However, they are also interested in sports which are popular around the world - football, tennis, and basketball. We firmly believe in the harmonious development of all spheres - and are ready to offer customers everything that only they can imagine.

Which of your products are you most excited about in terms of Asia potential?

At the moment, we are actively engaged in testing a wide variety of products with different audiences and it is too early to draw any definitive conclusions. But now we can say that live rates are especially popular. In Asia, fans are very loyal to their favourite teams and want to support them during matches. Our traditional promotions, such as risk-free bets on the most interesting football matches in the world, are also extremely popular.

Are there any further Asia-related plans you would like to share?

We are very pleased with how we are progressing in the Asian market. Last year, 1xBet won an award in the “Best Sports Betting Solution” category at the G2E Asia @ the Philippines Product Awards. This is an indicator of the correct development of the company in the market, where we plan to continue to actively move forward. Players should follow the announcements - and in the near future, they will find many pleasant promotions.

Betting on language solutions

All-IN GLOBAL

What are your plans for Asia this year and has the coronavirus had a major impact on your projects?

As a sponsor, official language service provider and organiser of the official poker tournament, the ASEAN Gaming Summit is the centre of our Asian expansion. Many of the Asian markets are becoming increasingly popular among our clients, and we are working every day to ensure we have the best translators available for all of the big Asian languages.

In which Asian countries are you seeing the most growth, or potential for expansion?

From 2018 to 2020 we have seen the most growth for language services in Chinese, Vietnamese and Thai. Japanese and Korean remains steady but important. All of these 5 languages are among our top 25, with Malaysian and Indonesian following closely. We are expecting a significant increase in the demand for our services to cater for the Indian population.

Have you noticed any trends in terms of client preferences, or in adoption of new technologies?

We live in a tech world and we recognize it’s extremely important to adapt not only our services but also the way we offer them to a future proof version. In fact, we have been working to offer more effective options to our clients that enable automated and faster processes. Soon we will launch a campaign to present all the new functionalities we’ve been preparing such as a Drag & Drop folder in order to reduce the need for sending emails, CMS connector, API that integrates with pretty much any system and other features that we are excited to announce. Creating and localizing content for a technologically savvy generation is also a topic that we’ve been promoting among our clients as a way to stay ahead of the competition.

Which of your products are you most excited about in terms of Asia potential?

Although we rebranded from All-in Translations to All-in Global, translation and localization remains our most popular service. But over the years we have become a one-stopshop for language solutions you can bet on, including content writing, multilingual SEO and audiovisual services. We are particularly excited to see how the esports markets of Asia will respond to our efforts there.

Market sentiment seen improving, SE Asia strong

APE

What are your plans for Asia this year and has the coronavirus had a major impact on your projects?

Due to the Coronavirus, some policies were imposed by the Macau government to protect the health of citizens, such as the 15-day casino closure, tourist immigration control, etc, which will have a huge impact on the overall economy, especially the gaming industry in the first half of 2020. But we believe the market sentiment will get better, along with the opening of two new casinos – Lisboa Palace and Lisboeta, which can bring an effective stimulus to the market. At the same time, our suppliers planned to bring innovative products into the Macau market in 2020, we expect these products to bring alternative excitement to the casino floors. For SouthEast Asian countries, we plan to extend our footprint by expanding more EGE leasing sales in the Asian gaming market.

In which Asian countries are you seeing the most growth, or potential for expansion?

SouthEast Asian countries, such as the Philippines, Cambodia and Vietnam have greatly increased Gross Gaming Revenue (GGR) over the past few years. Casinos such as Okada Manila, City of Dreams Manila, NagaWorld etc., showed a strong performance in 2019. Moreover, with new casinos, like Hoiana in Vietnam and others which are ready to open in 2020 and 2021, we see there is strong demand and an unmissable opportunity among SEA countries, which is a huge potential market for APE to expand into in the next few years.

Have you noticed any trends in terms of client preferences, or in adoption of new technologies?

Customers trended to play on stand alone electronic table machines for a faster and personal gaming experience.

Which of your products are you most excited about in terms of Asia potential?

There are some innovative products that our global partners plan to bring into the Macau and Asian market, such as Jumbo’s newest product, the Bao Ni Fa linked progressive slot machines. In Bao Ni Fa, players can have a chance to win up to four jackpots at the same time, which is a very attractive feature to players. The Blackjack community, which was developed by Slovenian ETG producer Spintec is also a potential product. Five additional side bets are added on top of the simple blackjack to give players additional excitement. Moreover, the Golden Blocks linked progressive slot machine is an innovative product developed by Konami. The games have been designed with Chinese graphic symbols aimed at the Asian market. Players can win up to 20 bonus spins and multiple jackpots in the games.

Are there any further Asia-related plans you would like to share?

Leasing sales is one of our business focuses. Since 2018, we have been cooperating with Glimex Inc., which is a Philippines company, to expand our presence in the Asian gaming market. So far, more than 86 EGE units have been leased to a casino in Cebu through Glimex. We also entered into a financial leasing agreement with Siam Star Leisure Co. Ltd. from Cambodia. These two leasing sales brought us considerable revenue. We see leasing sales as having business potential and we will further expand this business in Macau and SouthEast Asia.

Card games a new hit

BBIN

What are your plans for Asia this year and has the coronavirus had a major impact on your projects?

In regard to the coronavirus outbreak, as we focus on iGaming systems and software development, it has had less influence on us so far. Viewed from a broad market perspective in Asia, live casino and casino games possess the highest popularity and henceforth the biggest market share. In each category, Baccarat and elimination games are the hottest products. Knowing such market preferences, BBIN continues to launch new products that cater to Asian clients. On the other hand, BBIN plans to introduce new products which are not yet common in Asia, e.g.: Hi-LO games to make the gaming experience even more diversified. It has also developed new products which are inspired by the local popular culture, e.g.: the claw-machine game. BBIN experiments with new games and further tests the market acceptance.

Have you noticed any trends in terms of client preferences, or in adoption of new technologies?

Fewer and fewer activities are coming from desktop computers. From our market data analysis, only thirty percent of the activities comes from the desktop, while seventy percent is now from mobile devices. The use of mobile devices has far surpassed the use of desktop computers, demonstrating a great change in user habit and experience. This has influenced our product development to shift the focus to mobile games, to think about creating a game suitable for the mobile interface and how to enable an even faster and still engaging betting experience.

Which of your products are you most excited about in terms of Asia potential?

In addition to diversifying products in the four categories, card games is a new type of game that shows great potential for growth. In terms of game design, card games allow for more interaction and players can choose to be a banker or a player. These distinct features have made card games a new hit in recent years. Since 2018, BBIN has started to include card games in its product portfolio and in 2020, BBIN will continue to launch new card games to provide an even wider variety of gaming choices.

Are there any further Asia-related plans you would like to share?

Regarding product development, BBIN has a long-term project to keep optimizing its platform infrastructure and enhancing the security level. It also plans to launch new modular campaigns that allow clients to organize special programs with ease and speed. Even more excitingly, BBIN continues to incorporate the gaming spirit into its CSR projects that raise awareness for various global issues. BBIN’s nonprofit brand TGB Charity regularly launches new online campaigns with interactive designs and invites visitors to participate. Keep a close eye on TGB’s website (tgbcharity.com) and show your support with BBIN.

Expanding eSports offering

BET INVEST

What are your plans for Asia this year and has the coronavirus had a major impact on your projects?

Asia has always been one of our priority regions for development, and it still is. For this reason, we monitor key industry trends in this area with particular interest. We are of course concerned about the coronavirus epidemic that has broken out globally and in Asia in particular. We understand the damage to the industry that will be caused for our colleagues whose business involves mainly land-based operations. We are also aware that changes are having to be made to some of main events in the industry, and in the world as a whole – from leading gambling exhibitions to the Tokyo Olympics. We’re all keeping on top of the situation and hoping that the situation will improve.

For now, our participation in several gambling events and the timescale for us entering certain new markets is in question. Nonetheless, our plans for 2020 include increasing the number of Asian countries in which our clients can use our products and solutions, and increasing the number of markets. For example, we are actively researching regulations in India and various other Asian markets to assess our opportunities in this region. We believe that the coronavirus situation will be brought under control and our plans will go ahead.

In which Asian countries are you seeing the most growth, or potential for expansion?

For us, the most promising areas in Asia are the more populated regions: Japan, Korea, India. These countries have local regulations which give the market a better scope for development. As well as this, the features of the industry in these regions give us, as a sports betting provider, the opportunity to expand our services, and the end user the opportunity to broaden their user experience.

Have you noticed any trends in terms of client preferences, or in the adoption of new technologies?

The trademark features of Asia are the focus on cutting-edge technology and immersive entertainment. And this is the user experience that the leading sports betting providers wish to create with their own products and solutions. This is why clients have a preference for gamification solutions: from games with engaging themes, outstanding graphics and multiplayer systems, to the option to play in VR, etc.

Which of your products are you most excited about in terms of Asia potential?

Asia is the white hot centre for eSports – it is here that you find the highest percentage of players betting on eSports. In 2018, we released our own eSports department of experienced specialists; they are people from a gaming background who know the industry inside out. Over the course of two years, we developed and released our eSportsbook with features and markets that not all providers can offer. At the moment, we are focused on expanding our eSportsbook offer.

AI use brings positive results

BETCONSTRUCT

What are your plans for Asia this year and has the coronavirus had a major impact on your projects?

As always, we have a lot of new releases coming every year concentrating on innovation and the possibility to give our partners more flexibility and freedom. Covid-19 hardly affected any of our projects, but rather stood in the way of networking events which we planned to attend. Unfortunately, many business events and meetings were postponed or cancelled in recent months. The virus also impacted the popularity of gambling venues. However on the brighter side, it is also an opportunity for our land-based partners to consider entering the online world with BetConstruct’s white label or turnkey solution, to maintain or convert their existing business for further development. Hopefully, the situation will be more stable soon and we will all be back on track.

In which Asian countries are you seeing the most growth, or potential for expansion?

At this moment, China is still one of the top markets in terms of revenue, but South East Asia is also growing and is a very promising region to expand. One of the main reasons for this may be that the region is more open and accessible for marketing through social media platforms. Recently, we received many client inquiries from India.

Have you noticed any trends in terms of client preferences, or in adoption of new technologies?

In terms of new technologies, of course the trend moves towards automation of existing tools. Increasing the level of flexibility will facilitate the use for both business owners and their end users. Infusing AI brought positive results to such products as risk management. Our tool, called Umbrella, is a semi-automated SaaS developed to detect and manage unprofitable players from an early stage through the whole lifecycle to assist in decreasing financial loss for betting operators. In just 3 months of usage, Umbrella decreases bad turnover from 70 percent down to 50 percent and contributes to the growth of the average monthly pool of VIP and positive players by 20 percent.

We thoroughly investigate the Asia market, with a focus on each country and its peculiarities. This allows us to get more creative with the developments in both the betting and gaming sectors. That is how our Esports grew so fast to become separate from our Sportsbook offer, and our Live Casino started delivering Asia-facing games such as Dragon Tiger and Teen Patti.

Which of your products are you most excited about in terms of Asia potential?

We believe sportsbook-related products have major potential for the entire Asian market. Providing a comprehensive sports betting offering is one thing, backing the software with powerful support, risk management, video streaming content and additional hassle-free solutions is a whole new level. That’s why alongside its industry-leading Sportsbook, BetConstruct delivers anti-fraud tools, front-end design builder, BetCloud solutions, allowing for secure betting over established limits and many other products. This scope is what really makes for great providers. Our gaming portfolio grows exponentially too, both with our in-house efforts and the content from top 3rd party providers.

Are there any further Asia-related plans you would like to share?

As always, we plan to continue to improve our existing products and come up with genuine solutions that facilitate the operator’s work. Since the encouragement we get comes directly from the success and feedback of our operators, we do our best every day to support them.

Demand for stable and custom tech grows

COMTRADE

What are your plans for Asia this year and has the coronavirus had a major impact on your projects?

Asia remains a major focus area for our business. Our clients in Asia are some of the biggest operators present there, and they never standstill. This means we are constantly busy delivering on their business requirements. Although the virus hasn’t directly affected our projects it has definitely made us think more carefully about our travel. Also now, with the postponement of two of the largest events, its impact is increasing. You have to feel for the casinos in Macau though and the fact that all their 2020 plans and budgets have been decimated. This will have a much wider industry impact over the year.

In which Asian countries are you seeing the most growth, or potential for expansion?

India definitely seems to be the country with the most future potential. A country with nearly 1.4 billion people who love sport will always offer huge opportunities. Over 50 percent of the population watch cricket, which alone is twice the total population of the USA.

Have you noticed any trends in terms of client preferences, or in adoption of new technologies?

In Asia, the adoption of the latest technology is always a gradual process. The shift from manual processes and people towards technology and automation has increased significantly over the last few years but it has a long way to go. Asian operators typically need to be much more agile than European ones and the technology providers have to be able to support these demands.

Which of your products are you most excited about in terms of Asia potential?

The biggest area of our business has always been our enterprise level Player Account Management System (iCore). It’s this focus on excellence in one main product that strikes a chord with operators. Asia is becoming increasingly more competitive and market opportunities can change quickly. The need for software that is extremely stable, automates many processes and is customizable for individual operators will increase significantly. Many Asian operators still like to keep as much tech in-house as possible. We allow them to keep many of those controls they are looking for but without the need for huge internal development teams.

Are there any further Asia-related plans you would like to share?

We will be taking our existing clients into new markets and we also have some significant opportunities with new clients. We always take a very long term view with our business and as always we will take a measured approach with expansion to ensure we continue to provide the highest level of service.

Racing ahead with F1

BETRADAR

What are your plans for Asia this year?

With two major cricket events, the Women’s and Men’s Twenty20 World Cups in Australia, the European Championships, a summer Olympic Games in Tokyo, and a new addition to the F1 calendar in Hanoi, this will be a very big year for the industry across Asia.

We will be present at a number of trade shows throughout the region, from Goa to Phnom Penh, Taipei and Manila. This is a great opportunity to meet with our clients and discuss how they can capitalise on these big sporting events using our innovative markets as part of our growing coverage worldwide.

In which Asian countries are you seeing the most growth, or potential for expansion?

The countries that show the biggest growth potential in Asia are the Indian subcontinent and other jurisdictions that look likely to regulate next, like South Korea potentially. As we have seen in the US, new betting markets provide plenty of commercial opportunities for businesses, if they are armed with the right tools and knowledge. The countries themselves can benefit too, depending on the tax provisions that are put in place with regulated Betting. In addition, the licenses and other controls as part of a regulated betting environment makes it easier to manage and monitor betting to reduce illegal or black-market activity, which poses a risk to the industry and the sports themselves.

Have you noticed any trends in terms of client preferences, or in adoption of new technologies?

The demand for content continues. This includes live streaming, increased choice for in-play betting opportunities delivered faster, and betting stimulation tools such as widgets and match trackers, all of which add to a punter’s experience and helps them make more informed bets.

We’re also starting to see more licensed Asian businesses invest in marketing, both above and below the line, using our ad:s solution. This gives them access to premium sponsorship opportunities, brand ambassadors and programmatic advertising to help them grow their brand and attract audiences.

Which of your products are you most excited about in terms of Asia potential?

This year we’re really excited about our new live ‘in-race’ odds for F1. As part of our exclusive partnership, we’ll expand the pre-race models that currently exist, using data taken directly from the track on race weekends to develop new in-play betting markets during a Grand Prix. This provides audiences with an all-new and exciting way to experience the sport, and helps increase engagement with F1. Again, this will be a huge opportunity for our clients, particularly with the first ever F1 Grand Prix held in Vietnam taking place in April this year.

We also continue to expand our live odds for cricket, as part of our Premium Cricket Service, and other sports across the world, including kabaddi.

Are there any further Asia-related plans you would like to share?

We will continue to increase our physical presence throughout the region. As more and more countries move to regulate betting, more operators will turn their attention to Asia.

The emergence of newly regulated betting markets is part of the reason we expanded our 360-degree betting portfolio to include the Optima platform. With this we can offer everything an operator needs to supply and license in markets worldwide.

Investments in people and infrastructure

CONTINENT 8

What are your plans for Asia this year and has the coronavirus had a major impact on your projects?

Continent 8 continues globally to add new locations to meet the growing demands of our committed and growing client base. Asia is no exception with major capacity additions recently implemented in addition to new services launched and enhancements to our current service offerings. In the last 18 months Continent 8 added an additional 12 global data centre locations in parallel to a significant capacity increase to our network. Total available capacity now exceeds 2 Terabytes. One notable addition to our security services portfolio is the launch of Web Application Firewall (WAF), a solution we are witnessing an explosive growth in demand for. Apart from some minor shipping delays we are seeing no real effect on revenue or service uptake resulting from the virus outbreak at this point.

In which Asian countries are you seeing the most growth, or potential for expansion?

Taiwan continues to be the highest growth location for network, security, dedicated hosting and cloud services. As with operators and networks, Continent 8 continues to monitor regulation and compliance and will continue with our global strategy to serve the eGaming sector in all necessary locations.

Have you noticed any trends in terms of client preferences, or in adoption of new technologies?

Our clients continuously seek the most reliable and predictable network routes into all Asian markets, including China. They are looking for ISP services not just for low latency, but an experience that is consistent with minimal packet loss. At Continent 8 we invest in people, infrastructure and capacity to achieve the perfect blend enabling our clients to enjoy a true differentiator.

Which of your products are you most excited about in terms of Asia potential?

The true and unchallenged differentiator in Asia is our high performance, consistent latency and highly available network. We achieve this through investing in cutting edge technology and recruiting only the highest qualified network operations and support personnel.

Are there any further Asia-related plans you would like to share?

2020 will see the addition of new office locations and staff recruitment across Asia to support growing demand. We will also be announcing enhancements to our services portfolio in the coming months ahead in addition to new locations as client demands dictate.

Mobile momentum grows

DIGITAIN

What are your plans for Asia this year and has the coronavirus had a major impact on your projects?

The impact of the virus is already having its effects. What we saw at ICE certainly proved to be a rather sad example; with many planned meetings unable to take place given the travel restrictions over in Asia.

Of course, this not only means lost opportunities for both B2B and B2C sectors in terms of deal building, but also the lack of networking opportunities. ICE is always that time of year when industry players with mutual interests can align projects together, and without that chance to network, I think we (as an industry) lost out on a lot this year.

In which Asian countries are you seeing the most growth, or potential for expansion?

The overall growth of the igaming industry remains incredibly encouraging across the majority of Asia, and the international advance of sportsbook continues unchecked in most developing countries. That said, innovation remains the watchword, both in the markets you offer and the tools with which you allow your clients to engage. Staying positively demarcated from the competition is naturally crucial, and that’s what Digitain does best with our everevolving product portfolio.

For most European vendors targeting Asia, the primary market is, of course the Far East, and we’re seeing the region evolving with rocket speed. South East Asia and India are also excellent opportunities, with both offering a fantastic amount of potential. Their demographics, as well as a young tech-savvy population who will always be excited to get in on the action via their mobile, are proving to be a boon to those who know how to market their product right.

Moving forward, I expect to see the region continuing to go from strength to strength. Despite the absence of a legal regulatory framework in the region, the gambling market there is evolving rocket fast, engaging more and more people – once we have a framework in place from a regulatory perspective, I expect to see it really taking off.

Have you noticed any trends in terms of client preferences, or in adoption of new technologies?

In terms of trends, the overarching question will always be towards whether Asia fashions its own watershed PASPA moment for sportsbook. Comparisons to the U.S. may at first seem facile. However, the truth is that this patchwork Asian quilt of taste and regulation (not to mention competing tax bands which could inherently price any greedy regions out of the market, or send their players to off-shore illegals) is very reminiscent of what’s slowly unfolding stateside in sports betting.

When it comes to tech and platforms, mobile betting in Asia continues to gain momentum, with mobile traffic already around 75 percent of the whole market there. It goes without saying that anyone looking to succeed there really has to adopt a “mobile first” policy upon which product development and localisation can be capitalised.

The second important thing here is speed. When it comes to ensuring stability and flawless data delivery, it is vital to deploy a Content Delivery Network in Asia. For this, Taiwan is broadly accepted to be the best location for this kind of infrastructure, and until other countries invest significantly – I expect it to keep leading the pack.

Industry-leading bonuses and high RTPs

EBET

What are your plans for Asia this year and has the coronavirus had a major impact on your projects?

2019 has been eBET’s best year ever for growth and product awards. We’re confident that 2020 will be even better through a number of key product launches, strengthened partnerships and market expansion beyond Asia. This month will see two new gaming categories launched on eBET: Fortune Wheel, which is an Asian version of Cash Wheel, and Live 3 Ball Lottery. The Coronavirus has not slowed our product launches but has positively bolstered online play.

In which Asian countries are you seeing the most growth, or potential for expansion?

We have seen all countries increase year over year, however, SE Asia has the largest amount of new players. Because of our early entry into SEA, the eBET brand is a market leader.

Have you noticed any trends in terms of client preferences, or in adoption of new technologies?

Blockchain and highly customizable products have been at the forefront. Next month we will launch eBET’s live dealer on BSV, with all hand results stored in the blockchain. eBET is also launching a Live Dealer SDK that allows all operators to fully customize all aspects of the UI. Thus allowing operators to have one continuous look and feel across their brand.

Which of your products are you most excited about in terms of Asia potential?

Fortune Wheel supports our current expansion into Southeast Asia because it has both the largest bonuses in the industry and the highest RTP on the market. This is a product every player and operator wants in Asia. 3D Live Lottery has the fastest one minute 3 ball lottery draws in the industry, which is specifically geared towards Chinese speaking players.

Are there any further Asia-related plans you would like to share?

Launching in May, eBET will expand our VIP tables to include exclusive single-player private baccarat. This offering includes unlimited table limits and allows VIPs to directly speak to their personally selected beautiful dealer.

Technology to reshape industry

GAMESOURCE

What are your plans for Asia this year and has the coronavirus had a major impact on your projects?

GameSource’s focus this year will definitely be Macau, the Philippines and Vietnam; we are aiming to deploy our products and total solution in various locations within Asia. The virus has definitely hit hard, and the impact is on a global scale, hopefully we will weather the storm sooner rather than later. We are taking this difficult period of time to further improve our products.

In which Asian countries are you seeing the most growth, or potential for expansion?

The Philippines obviously is seeing massive and rapid growth, it will no doubt be one of the top gaming destinations in Asia with the amount of new projects coming up. Vietnam also has the potential for further expansion as it is still a rather underdeveloped country.

Have you noticed any trends in terms of client preferences, or in adoption of new technologies?

A bit of a cliché but non-traditional gaming content will be the future, simply have a look at the mobile/social segment and we shouldn’t underestimate the influence of esports games, attracting enormous audiences and players worldwide.

Blockchain is something to be reckoned with for land based casinos as distributed ledgers offer transparency, whereas cloud computing (cloud-based gaming) has gradually become a technology most people are familiar with and have been using day in and out.

I would think a combination of Artificial Intelligence (AI), 5G, Internet of Things (IoT), Big Data & Blockchain is what could reshape our industry.

Which of your products are you most excited about in terms of Asia potential?

We are extremely excited with our wireless gaming solution. Imagine players being able to be entertained with a new experience of flexibility and mobility and operators maximizing the opportunity to capture a new player segment.

Are there any further Asia-related plans you would like to share?

Without revealing too much information, you can definitely expect to be seeing a massive amount of GameSource deployments in the upcoming 6-24 months across various Asian jurisdictions.

Big data power

GLOBAL MARKET ADVISORS

What are your plans for Asia this year and has the coronavirus had a major impact on your projects?

Asia continues to remain one of the key markets for Global Market Advisors as we continue to assist our partners. While the current situation has hindered some travel amongst jurisdictions, it has strengthened our ability to assist clients with other projects and operations as they adjust business and marketing efforts for the current situation and reemergence.

In which Asian countries are you seeing the most growth, or potential for expansion?

There continues to be growth through the entire Asia market in the areas of gaming, non-gaming, entertainment, sports, and hospitality. While there are pockets that are seeing larger growth in some of the specific sectors listed above, Asia continues to see great potential as the market continues to develop.

Have you noticed any trends in terms of client preferences, or in adoption of new technologies?

Some of the greatest areas that we have seen growth in terms of technology is facial recognition, table tracking, and robust software allowing customers to more effectively track and reward players.

Which of your products are you most excited about in terms of Asia potential?

Our emerging GMA Analytics division is becoming a game changer for our clients as they look at better ways to understand the data on their current and future customers. We look forward to growing that market in Asia and the rest of the world as a better way for organizations to reach their markets and enhance their loyalty efforts. Companies as well as governments also need to understand how the geopolitical dynamics of Asia are contributing to their developments and how they can be proactive in making adjustments to their business and marketing plans to stay ahead of the curve.

Are there any further Asia-related plans you would like to share?

While the current dynamics have had an impact on current growth, GMA knows that Asia will continue to push forward as an expanding gaming jurisdiction, with new developments and reinvestment in the products that exist today as market share becomes more competitive while providing new offerings to today’s consumer.

Tokyo Kombat comes out fighting

GANAPATI

What are your plans for Asia this year and has the coronavirus had a major impact on your projects?

Our plan for Asia – and globally – this year is to take on new challenges: new products, new markets and new management. The coronavirus is currently a global issue which is definitely impacting all areas of business. However, since we don’t have offices in mainland China and our business focuses on online products, the direct impact is very limited at this stage. We are fully functional and will continuously provide our services throughout the period.

In which Asian countries are you seeing the most growth, or potential for expansion?

Southeast Asian countries, such as Thailand, Vietnam, Myanmar and Indonesia are showing the most growth potential for expansion in business and marketing.Another market we are keeping a close eye on is India – it’s definitely looking to be one to watch.

Have you noticed any trends in terms of client preferences, or in adoption of new technologies?

In terms of new technologies, the adoption of VR, AR, AI and machine learning within the industry is on the rise – these could well become the next big trends. We are looking into these to see if there’s a fit with our future products. There is a general trend of games becoming more interactive, which strongly ties in with what we do at Ganapati. We will be incorporating multiplayer capabilities, for example, in upcoming games, which will definitely help achieve this.

We at Ganapati make sure to adapt to client preferences and trends. We definitely aim to keep up to date with new technologies and implement them where we can.

Which of your products are you most excited about in terms of Asia potential?

Tokyo Kombat! Tokyo Kombat is a 6-player shooting game – based on the wildly popular fish game – where players try and kill Japanese soldiers! The game includes so many original, fun elements, such as an in-game purchase system, Japanese voice actors, a Happy Hour mission mode, and much more. It’s very hard not to be excited when talking about this product in terms of Asian potential!

Are there any further Asia-related plans you would like to share?

In Asia, players are not generally afraid to try out new things. To be more precise, they want to try new products as soon as they come out. As I mentioned, for this year’s Asia-related plans, we will roll out a lot of new products with new technologies for these players.

Our goal is simple – to make the players happy and excited about the Ganapati brand!

ETG growth continues

IDNERD

What are your plans for Asia this year and has the coronavirus had a major impact on your projects?

Our plan was to launch our Intelligent table product X-Table in May at G2E Asia and continue deploying our X-Trend interactive BSB product into more Macau casinos and the SE Asian markets. The current Covid 19 travel restrictions have caused a few delays with our plans for sure. Firstly by the moving of the G2E show till the end of July and secondly we have been affected by no fly travel restrictions to markets like the Philippines and Korea. We also notice due to the uncertainty in business, many of the Macau properties are delaying or pulling back on spending for projects,

In which Asian countries are you seeing the most growth, or potential for expansion?

We have been busy expanding into Vietnam, where we will launch our first X-Stadium ETG display product linked to Interblock terminals at the Hoiana IR. Also we have had great response to our X-trend and X-Tables products in the Philippines, where both rejuvenation of existing properties and new properties are moving forward.

The Philippines especially seem more progressive and open for new and innovative concepts. Korea is another area we see some interest and growth in the near future

Have you noticed any trends in terms of client preferences, or in adoption of new technologies?

There have been more expansions to ETG products and stadium games throughout the region and I believe this trend will continue. Casinos deploying our new features in X-stadium have reported growth in revenues. The progressive casinos are also looking at new table game innovations and products with smart table adoption and technology being trialled.

Camera and RFID technology are still buzz words with some operators, but it seems this is mostly focusing on chip security, we hope to demonstrate our X-trend product can bring some more excitement to tables games by entertaining players and providing better game information so players can make better, faster betting decisions and enjoy benefits in loyalty and bonus features linked to our X-Table. The price of LED hardware products have also been dropping, so we see a few casinos potentially upgrading their LED and media systems. We now represent many of the major LED manufacturers so have been packaging LED in with our stadium system and making the installation more cost effective for operators.

Which of your products are you most excited about in terms of Asia potential?

We are keen to launch our table innovations, such as our own X-Trend, X Table, as mentioned, but continue to work expanding our ETG product X-Stadium and working with more gaming vendors to enhance their offering. We’re hoping to install our first SG X-Stadium this year .

Are there any further Asia-related plans you would like to share?

We see some growth for Asia Pacific countries, such as New Zealand and Australia. With two new properties coming online in the next few years, in Sydney and Brisbane, and current properties ramping up and upgrading their existing casinos. We are hoping to expand our reach into this market more with all our products over the next few years.

Privacy and individualism in focus

INTERBLOCK GAMING

What are your plans for Asia this year and has the coronavirus had a major impact on your projects?

We are further penetrating our traditional markets such as Macau, the Philippines, Vietnam, Cambodia, Singapore and Malaysia and, in parallel, we are entering emerging markets like Nepal, Laos and Sri Lanka and cruise lines are also being explored. The coronavirus hit Macau and Korea the most in Q1 and Q2. The rest of the region might be affected in Q3, whilst Macau recovered from the virus, so overall not being affected as much as the industry expected.

In which Asian countries are you seeing the most growth, or potential for expansion?

Vietnam has been the market with significant potential. For 2019 alone, we did 12 major installs and expansion in Vietnam is only contributing to our rapid growth in Asia.

Have you noticed any trends in terms of client preferences, or in adoption of new technologies?

Individualism and privacy have been highlighted and become the trend in the industry, which have sharpened the ETG sector gradually.

Which of your products are you most excited about in terms of Asia potential?

Interblock’s latest product, the Universal Cabinets range, has created an individual platform where all ETG games are available as a single game. The patented technology behind the Universal Cabinet allows players to play table games at the same rate you would find on a slot machine. This combined with a higher average bet found on ETGs vs what you would see within the slot segment, creates an ability to drive a new level of profit for the casinos.

Are there any further Asia-related plans you would like to share?

Interblock’s stadium featured the latest multi-game and multi-play functionalities with traditional games, such as dealer-assisted tables for baccarat, blackjack, roulette and sicbo; also electronic-mechanic generators for baccarat, blackjack, roulette and sicbo; additionally the video desk for all kinds of virtual games; furthermore, we are expanding our game library with the Moneywheel (BigSix with bonus feature) and dealer assisted Craps table etc.

New link themes for Asia

IGT

What are your plans for Asia this year and has the coronavirus had a major impact on your projects?

This year we are poised to build on the significant momentum we gained in the Asia mass slot market. We launched a significant number of new standalone games and links last year, which has given us a solid foothold in many countries from where we intend to expand with even more games this year.

Our Ying Cai Shen link has broken records for us across the region, and we will be building on this momentum with more games this year. We’re also launching more jackpot options for our link products too, extending the flexibility of our solutions for all sizes of casino and player types.

In Gaming Management Systems, we are launching new functionality, so that will see us build upon our existing customer base.

However, the COVID19 virus is changing everyone’s plans for the region - from operators to suppliers. And without the benefit of a crystal ball, we expect to see its effects felt into the second half of the year.

In which Asian countries are you seeing the most growth, or potential for expansion?

Macau and the Philippines are the most significant growth regions for us, as well as Singapore with the expansion of their slot operations in 2020, following the 2019 license changes.

It’s not just in slot machines though, our systems bonusing solutions will grow further as our customers step up their drive to increase player loyalty with extra reward solutions and extra entertainment options in their properties, especially on mobile phones.

Have you noticed any trends in terms of client preferences, or in adoption of new technologies?

In terms of client preferences – new technologies have been the trend with strong adoption of our IGT Advantage Intelligent Bonusing products, which enable casinos to deliver targeted bonuses floor-wide or for specific player types – all set by the operators to drive greater patronage and player allegiance to their venue. From a loyalty and bonusing perspective, operators want to offer bonuses to players during a play session, and market directly to the player’s mobile phone while on the casino floor. Plus, venues want to be able to identify hot, and new, players in real-time so they can proactively enrol un-carded players – all features of IGT’s Mobile Host solution.

From the players’ perspective, they’re seeking greater recognition and reward for their play, and are expecting greater ease and convenience when it comes to engaging with loyalty programs and transferring funds between the gaming machines and paying for entertainment in the property. A notable trend in Asia markets is that consumers are accustomed to using their mobile phones for both loyalty and currency transactions. They’re comfortable using digital for cashless payments, and opting-in to mobile marketing messages for more seamless engagement with their favourite companies.

Are there any further Asia-related plans you would like to share?

IGT will continue its Asia test bank program with operators to gather meaningful data and feedback on player-preferences which enables us to keep on improving and delivering better products designed for local players.

Also IGT will be targeting older IGT cabinets with strong trade out deals enabling them to upgrade their floors at a lower cost.

Which of your products are you most excited about in terms of Asia potential?

In 2020, we plan to release a suite of new link themes across Asia. This follows on the back of the success of Ying Cai Shen (which recently received Best Electronic Gaming Solution honours at G2E Philippines), and is still growing in popularity across the region. We will launch additional titles for Ying Cai Shen to continue to build on this successful brand.

We are also excited to bring specific titles building on existing successful products such as Fortune Coin Boost which evolved from our successful Fortune Coin Multi 4-Level Progressive Jackpots to become a 5-Level Progressive link with players having the ability to multiply their credit wins and eliminate low-level jackpots to give players an opportunity to win higher amounts during the Fortune Coin Feature.

Fishing games reel in players

JUMBO

What are your plans for Asia this year and has the coronavirus had a major impact on your projects?

The coronavirus did impact us a bit due to travel restrictions. Despite this impact, our sales and RD are able to spend more time working closely together on our upcoming products. This year, we are launching new slot games for our Bao Ni Fa Link and a new progressive link. We are also excited about unveiling our new generation of electronic table games and 6-seater multiplayer fishing game Fortune Cruise.

In which Asian countries are you seeing the most growth, or potential for expansion?

We are seeing most potential growth and expansion in the Philippines.

Have you noticed any trends in terms of client preferences, or in adoption of new technologies?

In some regions in Asia, we have noticed a growth in slot machines with 43-inch screens. And more players are starting to explore and play standalone progressive slot games and standalone electronic table games.

Which of your products are you most excited about in terms of Asia potential?

Definitely our upcoming 6-seater multiplayer fishing game Fortune Cruise. Our fishing games are performing very well in Cambodia and have attracted a new segment of players. This genre of games is already widespread around the world, so we are excited about introducing this product to casinos and regulators in Asia.

Are there any further Asia-related plans you would like to share?

The Philippines is a growing market for Jumbo, so we will be investing more time in the region to support our products and market presence. And we also have plans to bring our products to Australia.

Building on growth

PINNACLE

What are your plans for Asia this year and has the coronavirus had a major impact on your projects?

Our main plan for Asia this year is just to build on our already consistent growth across the region. We want to enhance the experience suppliers can give to their clients by providing them with a unique B2B service. We can continue to take the established Pinnacle brand even further into the world of B2B. It’s not just about taking on more clients for us, we want to ensure we maintain our strong relationships with all of our existing clients and continue to do whatever we can to help them to be a success.

While we appreciate the severity of the coronavirus outbreak, it is yet to have any major impact on our projects. As with any other business, the safety of our employees is obviously our main priority and we will continue to assess the situation and make any necessary adjustments.

In which Asian countries are you seeing the most growth, or potential for expansion?

Our growth over the past year truly has been global. We have seen consistent growth across all of our Asian territories but South East Asia has certainly jumped out as one particular area of extension growth over the past 12 months.

When it comes to potential growth, the signs are very promising for the Indian market. Obviously this is still a relatively new market compared to other, more established, territories but there is a lot of excitement about the potential in India and it’s one that Pinnacle Solution is eager to explore.

Have you noticed any trends in terms of client preferences, or in adoption of new technologies?

We are known for our risk management expertise and this will always be one of the main client preferences we see within the industry. However, one area of focus for suppliers that is led by their customers is improving the users’ experience. This is why Pinnacle Solution has worked hard to develop a new UI with added features, like hot events, to ensure our clients can cater to their customers’ needs.

Which of your products are you most excited about in terms of Asia potential?

Esports has proven very incredibly successful for Pinnacle Solution since we launched and we are excited for this to continue. We have worked on enhancing our esports product in terms of the number of titles and markets we can offer.

Games for all preferences

PLAY 'N GO

What are your plans for Asia this year and has the Coronavirus had a major impact on your projects?

Asia continues to be an important market for us and our plans are to grow our presence there along with our other regions across the globe. The Coronavirus is a major concern in Asia and other parts of the world right now, so we’ll just have to continue taking every precaution and making sure our people are kept safe from any harm.

In which Asian countries do you see the most growth or potential for expansion?

We see good performance in all areas where we have a presence, but a few areas like Korea and Thailand are really taking off as the industry continues to develop there. It’s also exciting to see the progress made by emerging markets such as Malaysia, India and Indonesia.

Have you noticed any trends in terms of client preferences, or adoption of new technologies?

Each region has its own preferences, as there are so many different cultures.

Different games perform differently from country to country. For instance, Thailand and Vietnam love table games and places like Japan trend towards themed titles, so there is no prevalent preference to speak of. Looking at new technologies, it seems BI and data-driven initiatives have become more common, and from what we see happening in terms of marketing/promo it seems that it is being used to drive those areas.

Which of your products are you most excited about in terms of Asia potential?

We can’t give too much away; you never know who might be listening! We have 52 games set for release this year and, with the variety of titles we have as part of that project, there are titles that are going to suit every player across the region. Whether it be traditional gameplay, innovative features or a specific type of theme, we believe everything we have planned will have an impact.

Are there any further Asia-related plans you would like to share?

We have big plans for this year for all of our territories, but you’ll just have to wait and see!

Digital lotteries gain pace

QUANTA

What are your plans for Asia this year and has the coronavirus had a major impact on your projects?

Quanta will continue to expand across Asia after making strategic inroads into Africa with new Zambia operations and a Kenya HQ, that follows last year’s push into Nigeria with the full gambit of gaming options. COVID-19 has had some impact on Quanta since this will delay our timing on expansion here in Asia. Our corporate HQ will remain in Hong Kong and we will watch the developments carefully and invoke business continuity and mobility plans if needed.

In which Asian countries are you seeing the most growth, or potential for expansion?

Gaming revenue is typically the largest in China, Japan and South Korea. Market penetration of these markets will provide a customer base to ensure viability, however, margins are shrinking given the number of competitors competing in this same space.

From a growth potential perspective, the smaller Asia markets have the best opportunities. Countries like Taiwan, Indonesia, Thailand, Malaysia and Vietnam have the most potential but the developing markets are small so a slice of gaming revenue from these markets may be insignificant and insufficient to support operating costs.

Have you noticed any trends in terms of client preferences, or in adoption of new technologies?

For sure, customers are adapting to newer technologies after successful launch of mobilerelated devices or gizmos and much faster connectivity. With a majority of customers taking full advantage of their mobile phones for shopping, banking, travelling and dining, the trend will only continue with more customer demands expected.

Lottery has traditionally been paper-based but the trend towards digital lotteries is starting to grow as more and more customers entrust their platforms with the technologies to eliminate fraud or theft of their cash/winnings and with quality of users’ experience growing. Blockchain technologies will enhance transparency and customer’s trust so Quanta is well positioned as it is developing lottery and gaming using blockchain technologies.

Which of your products are you most excited about in terms of Asia potential?

The Asian market is establishing itself as a leading region in the gambling sphere, producing a substantial amount of the world’s gambling revenue. Modern technologies contribute to the improvement of gambling services, which makes this activity even more attractive and accessible to users. Our white label lottery platform is built on the private Ethereum chain, with our provably fair Random Number Generation, KYC/AML, and E-Wallet all powered by blockchain technology. Players who own cryptocurrency can participate in paperless Quanta Lottery from anywhere at any time using our Quanta Pay wallet. These innovative gaming experiences and expanded utility of the new Quanta Pay wallet will only increase the enjoyment and confidence of all users.

Are there any further Asia-related plans you would like to share?

At this moment, our push is into Africa given our footprint plans. After Covid-19, we will however revisit our plans in Asia and will most certainly share any major developments in due course.

Expanding gaming concession

RGB

What are your plans for Asia this year and has the coronavirus had a major impact on your projects?

Our plan this year is to continue working closely with our renowned partners (i.e. Aristocrat, Scientific Games etc.) in capitalizing the strong performance of new and existing products in our operating regions, through the sales to our customers and also to increase the number of concession machines in the existing and new concessions venues in the Technical Support Management (TSM) division.

To date, the impact of COVID-19 has been minimal, though we expect some disruption in the supply chain in delivering the machines. Preventive actions have also been implemented in all our TSM outlets and offices to help prevent the spread of the COVID-19. We will continue to monitor the situation closely.

In which Asian countries are you seeing the most growth, or potential for expansion?

At present, it will be the Philippines where we continue to see a rapid growth in the gambling industry.

Which of your products are you most excited about in terms of Asia potential?

We are excited for the two new products, which are SG’s TwinStar J43 Cabinet with new link games, such as Jinse Dao and Aristocrat’s MarsX Cabinet with new links such as Fu Dai Lian Lian and Fu Fu Fu.

Are there any further Asia-related plans you would like to share?

We plan to expand our gaming concession business by leasing out approximate 1,000 units of electronic gaming machines in 2020, mainly in the Philippines and Indochina.

Standalone ETGs in strong demand

SEGASAMMY

What are your plans for Asia this year and has the coronavirus had a major impact on your projects?

We plan to expand in Macau and Southeast Asian markets with our successful standalone ETGs. We would also start installing link progressive slot games in the existing markets, and some of the new markets. This is a difficult time for everyone in the gaming industry, but we continue to support our customers and people in the industry and we believe that we can get past this.

In which Asian countries are you seeing the most growth, or potential for expansion?

Macau leads the ETG market, especially standalone ETGs that are fast growing as a new category of EGM that is expected to expand its footprint in the market in coming years.

The Philippines is another fast-growing market where various slot games are available, and it is attracting players. Vietnam and Cambodia are also very attractive markets, which are expanding with new casinos are opening up. We plan to expand our footprint in Macau, The Philippines, Vietnam, Cambodia, Malaysia.

Have you noticed any trends in terms of client preferences, or in adoption of new technologies?

Standalone ETGs are in high demand across Asian markets now. The video standalone ETG was not a major product in the past, but now it performs well in Macau. Standalone ETGs are also very effective in terms of floor space efficiency, since they does not come with huge master Units, so it can be easily installed in any casinos or clubs. It is a very practical product for every venue from small clubs to large casinos in the Asian market.

Which of your products are you most excited about in terms of Asia potential?

“Roulette Maximum Fortune” is our most exciting product in Asia. Baccarat Maximum Fortune has been a very successful product. And the main success driver is the concept/feature allowing players to skip games and create their own trends without betting.

Players can simply press the Action Button to skip games while creating game history, then wait until his/her favorite timing to bet and play wagered games. SSC adopted this proven concept into the Roulette game, which is one of the most popular table games in Asia, and will release the “Roulette Maximum Fortune” in the coming months in various Asian markets.

Are there any further Asia-related plans you would like to share?

Our product line up will be strengthened with more market oriented products. We understand the importance of the customer feedback and we will focus on what customers really need and what players really want to develop our future products.

James Bond launch planned for Asia

SCIENTIFIC GAMES

What are your plans for Asia this year and has the coronavirus had a major impact on your projects?

As always, Scientific Games continues to develop world-leading technology solutions for all aspects of the gaming industry and the launch of new product innovations in the Asian market that our customers and their players love.

In which Asian countries are you seeing the most growth, or potential for expansion?

Over the last two years the Philippines’ market has significantly strengthened, however Scientific Games focuses on all legal Asian markets with staff located in Macau, the Philippines and Singapore. Supporting our customer partners, including our distributors, is paramount to Scientific Games.

The Philippines is a strong Slots and Tables market. Our shuffler products are gaining traction in Cambodia as casinos there align their operations more closely with markets like Singapore. Our Casino Management Systems are growing traction in the Philippines where confidence has built with our diverse system operating modules covering the many needs to operate a top performing casino.

Have you noticed any trends in terms of client preferences, or in adoption of new technologies?

Our customers look for a product point of difference. One example being exclusive games like Casino War and 3 Card Poker being added to our Electronic Table Games (ETG’s). In the table game space operators are opting for more face-up baccarat (even in Macau) resulting in more hands per hour. The request for more technology adoption in traditional table games, where our casino management systems become more emerged in the efficiency, monitoring and operations, bringing enhanced player experience and casino efficiencies.

Which of your products are you most excited about in terms of Asia potential?

As Scientific Games has a very diverse range of products across all aspects of the casino, it’s hard to focus on any particular one. Our approach is to bring technology to all aspects of the casino by way of enhanced product offerings. However, to name a few, the new Quartz ETG terminal allows for better visuals and a user-friendly player interface on a large square screen. This is proving popular in Korea and other Asian markets will see expansion using this terminal. Our table game side bets and premium table games library is second-to-none and our casino management system innovation sees a new Table View version.

In our slot machine products, we will launch Scientific Games high-performing TwinStarJ43 gaming cabinet with the Asian themed game series Jinse Dao. This year will also mark the Asian launch of one of SG Gaming’s biggest licensed brands, James Bond 007 game series with the Diamonds are Forever slot game on the DualosX gaming cabinet incorporating Asian designed mathematics.

Are there any further Asia-related plans you would like to share?

The first shuffler to not only shuffle but also sort 10 decks is an exciting product on the way. “Why 10 decks?” one might ask. More decks mean less shoe changes and therefore more hands dealt increasing productivity which goes straight to an operator’s bottom line.

Changing scenes, different reel patterns

SA GAMING/SIMPLE PLAY

What are your plans for Asia this year and has the coronavirus had a major impact on your projects?

We are launching a couple of Asian-themed slot games to cater for our clients in Asia. As an online platform, the coronavirus does not create too much impact on our projects. With more people staying indoors, there has been more users playing at our platform. SimplePlay hopes to stand with the society. We are adding some hygiene tips in our social media to remind users to stay healthy and safe during the situation.

In which Asian countries are you seeing the most growth, or potential for expansion?

Asia is always a continent with huge potential. Every country is an opportunity.

Apart from the countries in which we have already established our presence, SimplePlay is always looking for every possible market to which we can offer our exciting games.

Based on the wide range of game themes our portfolio offers, we hope to establish a continent-wide market in Asia.

Have you noticed any trends in terms of client preferences, or in adoption of new technologies?

SimplePlay expects the game market in the future to be mobile-oriented. The mobile market is growing fast. Clients are also placing greater emphasis on mobile products and interface. In response to this, SimplePlay’s recent games are all mobile-friendly.

They all support both portrait and landscape orientation in full screen. This involves reengineering our game design, game interface and layout. We also displayed mega vertical touchscreens, simulating a mobile interface during ICE London last month.

Which of your products are you most excited about in terms of Asia potential?

Some of our slot games have unexpectedly great potential in Asia. “Three Star God 2”, for example, features the three star gods – Prosperity, Status and Longevity. They are widely worshipped in Asia. It features an extended extra wild feature, allowing increased ways to play. “Sparta’s Honor” is also performing well. During free spins, the top payout symbols can become Wild Symbols. The Asian market has responded positively to these games.

Are there any further Asia-related plans you would like to share?

To cater for the Asia market, we are launching some Asian-themed games in the coming quarters. A major project involving a slot game with different scenes, each with different reel patterns and ways can be expected by the end of Q2. Please expect us!

Fun you can bet on

SYNERGY BLUE

What are your plans for Asia this year and has the coronavirus had a major impact on your projects?

Our plan is to introduce more gamblers (and gamers) to ‘fun you can bet on!’ We’d like to get more familiar with the local regions and plan on working closely with Jade Entertainment to continue expanding our presence in Asia.

In which Asian countries are you seeing the most growth, or potential for expansion?

We’re very excited about the growth and reception that we’ve had in places like Macau and Manila, where we’ve been very warmly received the past two years at G2E Asia. Additionally, our partnership with Jade Entertainment provides the exciting opportunity to be involved with a company which knows the Asia-Pacific region very well and can be a tremendous resource as we continue to expand our presence in this area of the world.

Have you noticed any trends in terms of client preferences, or in adoption of new technologies?

People are seeking out new experiences. They want something different, engaging and fun. For that reason, most operators are very excited about incorporating new technologies and new types of experiences at their properties. And skill-influenced games are great for this. They increase engagement and play time, they add new marketing elements to slot floors and tend to attract new demographics. All of our games are also built on our HAWG (Hybrid Arcade Wager-based Gaming) platform, which is very versatile. HAWG is able to fit various regional regulations and offers the ability to choose math variants to fit the preferences of unique clientele, so operators can do a lot with one platform.

Which of your products are you most excited about in terms of Asia potential?

We believe that our version of ‘Fun you can bet on”will thrill Asian gamblers. There is already a lot of enthusiasm for our games and adding more skill-influenced options will provide casino-goers with a new experience - whether it is our version of Mahjong or an arcade style driving game. We have and will continue to work with Jade Entertainment to approach each market individually and ensure that we’re bringing games that make sense to specific markets. 2020 should be a very exciting year for Synergy Blue in Asia.

Loyalty helps drive growth

TRANSACT

What are your plans for Asia this year and has the coronavirus had a major impact on your projects?

Our plans for Asia are to continue to expand from where we left in 2019, which was a dominant position in the region. We finished the year off strong and there are some very exciting prospects for 2020.

Thankfully, at this point we haven’t been directly affected by the coronavirus and it’s too early to tell what ramifications it may have on the industry, but we are keeping a close eye on things as they develop. Fortunately, TransAct has a production and support strategy that includes multiple locations so that our supply chain will not be completely disrupted by the coronavirus outbreak. We will continue to be able to provide our full level of customer service and to fulfill customer orders as required.

In which Asian countries are you seeing the most growth, or potential for expansion?

Macau and the Philippines should keep us quite busy this year, as well as some opportunities in Australia. We are building on a broad installation base of our products in each case with very satisfied customers, and we’ll continue to deliver great value as a technology partner around Asia.

Have you noticed any trends in terms of client preferences, or in adoption of new technologies?

Player loyalty continues to be a key focus for operators, and they are looking into the technologies encompassing this. Fortunately for TransAct, we have the perfect tool in Epicentral which can increase player loyalty and as a result, deliver positive results for operators.

Which of your products are you most excited about in terms of Asia potential?

Our state-of-the-art Epic Edge TITO printer with its latest technology together with Epicentral 4.0, brings a powerhouse of hardware and software technology to the casino floor. As operators in Asia search for more intuitive ways to market to their players, Epicentral brings a fully customizable and automated promotional software suite to the table.

Are there any further Asia-related plans you would like to share?

We are expecting 2020 to be a good year for us with a number of opportunities in the mix. We can’t go into specifics at this stage but are hopeful to have something very positive to report very soon.

Players prefer fast-paced games and promos

TVBET

What are your plans for Asia this year and has the coronavirus had a major impact on your projects?

Our team has a great ambition to provide sports betting and casino operators with the technologically advanced solutions, which will allow them to achieve exponential GGR growth. So, TVBET enters the market through leading gaming platforms, while negotiating directly with key land-based operators as well. The coronavirus has no impact on our market expansion because we have our local representatives there.

In which Asian countries are you seeing the most growth or potential for expansion?

For our company, as the B2B provider, it is essential to work with companies operating in fast-growing markets. Such countries as Macau, the Philippines, Singapore, Vietnam, Malaysia already have many gaming representatives, which, in turn, presents many opportunities for TVBET.

Have you noticed any trends in terms of client preferences, or in adoption of new technologies?

Every year, the audience of players becomes more demanding in terms of their expectations. And it means that a variety of betting options comes to the first plan. After comparing several products, eventually, they give preference to games at a fast pace that include different promo functionality, like jackpots, free bets, etc. In addition, the credibility of the games is paramount. So this is where we step into the future and leapfrog ahead because it’s all about TVBET.

Which of your products are you most excited about in terms of Asia potential?

Overall, TVBET’s Top 3 games worldwide are the following: PokerBet, 7Bet, and Keno. Regarding the Asian region, it is also important to highlight our recently featured Backgammon. This widely beloved game was exclusively reinvented for the live-streaming era. And we are confident that players in Asia and the Middle East will be excited about it. Moreover, our team is in the process of developing Baccarat in live format for Asia.

Are there any further Asia-related plans you would like to share?

According to our global expansion strategy, we have great hopes for our presence in this region. Our ambitions here are driven by the goal of providing players with the full spectrum of well-known games. We want to integrate our product to 300 betting and casino operators in Asia.

Excitement in eSports

ULTRAPLAY

What are your plans for Asia this year and has the coronavirus had a major impact on your projects?

UltraPlay has a solid positioning on the Asian market and has built a strong business network of iGaming partners in the region. We would like to express our deepest hopes for a fast recovery from the coronavirus both in Asia and globally. We hope that a working solution for this global health crisis will be found shortly.

As an iGaming supplier, we deliver our products and services to our partners in the region and we have several ongoing projects related to our iGaming platform and eSports odds feed ODDS.GG.

In which Asian countries are you seeing the most growth, or potential for expansion?

Asia is a vital market for the gambling industry and a leading global player in general. In terms of our products’ and services’ performance, we keep on seeing increased results in many jurisdictions on the continent. Markets with great potential are Taiwan, the Philippines, Cambodia, as well as Japan where further developments in both land-based and online sectors will be established in the following years. Those markets have years of tradition in gambling as well as gaming itself. In Asia, eSports is deeply connected in peoples’ lifestyle and they spend a lot of their time playing games. That’s one of the reasons why we see a great interest towards UltraPlay’s multi awarded eSports betting solution – ODDS. GG. This is a trend that we expect to be kept in the following year.

Which of your products are you most excited about in terms of Asia potential?

UltraPlay is giving everyone a chance to join the fastest growing market in the industry – eSports, by offering the widest coverage of games, best pre-match and live odds. Our solution ODDS.GG comes with a hybrid live betting model embracing AI and human trading interaction, automated match scheduling and stats compilation. UltraPlay has once again confirmed an increased interest towards the eSports betting offering at ICE London 2020, with operators from various jurisdictions looking to integrate this vertical on their websites.

Strong expansion eyed for 2020

ZITRO

What are your plans for Asia this year and has the coronavirus had a major impact on your projects?

Our main goal is to further expand our broad presence in the Philippines, where we already have an important presence in the Video Bingo Market and where we will soon be starting to deploy our Video Slots in the casinos. After the Philippines, we plan on targeting new markets in the area as well. In regards to the Coronavirus, we may experience an impact in terms of material supply, as some of the components we use are delivered from China, however, as for today, thanks to our solid and proactive supply chain, we have not yet experienced any delays in orders due to the virus and its collateral effects on the industry.

In which Asian countries are you seeing the most growth, or potential for expansion?

For us in particular, as mentioned, the Philippines is our main goal as it is the market in the region where we already have a solid base and an experienced local team, and where growing potential, for both our Video Bingo machines and our Video Slots, is still enormous. In addition to the Philippines, we will be targeting other markets such as Vietnam, Cambodia and Malaysia during 2020.

Have you noticed any trends in terms of client preferences, or in adoption of new technologies?

There is huge demand for multilevel progressive concepts that have a strong selfidentity. This translates into products that have highly sophisticated multimedia elements such as graphics and animations, as well as music and sounds, creating highly attractive and integrated bank presentations.

Which of your products are you most excited about in terms of Asia potential?

There are many games that, we are sure, will fit the Asian market perfectly, however, I am particularly excited about our brand new 88 Link games. There are two different themes, one is called 88 Link Wild Duels which is based on Chinese legends, and the second one is called 88 Link Lucky Charms, which is inspired by the Japanese talisman. Both products are a tribute to the very diverse Asian culture. Also, both games have super exciting game features and combine for the first time a 243 multiway game with a supercharged Link Bonus. Presented on our new Allure cabinet, it combines state-ofthe-art hardware technology, including 3 Full HD 27 Inch LCD’s, our digital button panel ‘SmartDeck’ as well as our `Syncroscreens’; a multimedia system that combines the upper screens giving it the look and feel of a high class overhead signage.

Are there any further Asia-related plans you would like to share?

Asia is and has always been a key market for Zitro, thus we have had an operational base in the Philippines for some time now. With our increasing Video Slots offering, today we have a library full of proven games that adapt very well to the Asian market in terms of functionalities and play mechanics, but also with a strong Asian flavour such as the 88 Link games, Bashiba Link, and many more, making us ready for a strong expansion in 2020.