FOCUS 16
Asia’s sporting chances When the U.S. Supreme Court struck down the Professional and Amateur Sports Protection Act in 2018, many surmised that the ruling would trigger a ripple effect, leading other jurisdictions to legalise sports betting.
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hat has not yet happened. However, the appetite in Asia continues to grow apace and operators appear undeterred by the “grey” status of many of the markets. In this edition’s Focus section we explore several sports betting-linked areas that are in the headlines, or gaining traction in the region. The first is the rise of virtual sports, which is proving to be highly popular. The latest in 3D animation and motion capture technology are producing sports events that are becoming hard to differentiate from the real thing. Football is by far and away the most popular sport, though suppliers are developing basketball products to cater for the Philippine and Chinese markets, while in India cricket is the obvious choice. Our second article focuses on expert opinion on the emerging markets with the most potential. India and Japan come out on top. In the former, skill-based games are legal and market experts are confident this will be extended to sports betting at
Asia Gaming Briefings | August 2019
some point in the next few years. The large and rising middle-class population, coupled with increasing internet connectivity make it a market that’s hard to ignore. Japan has no current plans to legalise online gaming, but is still seen as one of the easier grey markets in Asia. No focus on sports betting could ignore Australia and we take a look at the “turf ” war for supremacy of the market being wagered by Victoria and New South Wales. The two states are taking different tacks when it comes to their approach to races and their relationships with bookmakers. We ask who is coming out on top? Lastly, politicians and regulators in the U.K. are expressing increasing concern about the number of Asia-facing operators sponsoring U.K. sports teams. Most are attempting to cash in on the huge popularity of the Premier League across most of the Asian region. It’s a delicate question that could deprive clubs of a major revenue source and operators of a valuable marketing tool.
