INSPIRED VIRTUAL HITS PHILIPPINES
Inspired signs long-term contract to provide virtual gaming systems and platform across the Philippines Philippines - Suppliers
Inspired Gaming Group (Inspired) has confirmed the long-term agreement of its Virtuals in the Philippines with the DFNN Group of Companies. DFNN through its subsidiaries are leading licensed partners of the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation (PAGCOR). Repeating previ- ous success in markets around the world, includ- ing the UK, Italy and China, Inspired will be the first to launch its Virtual Games and platform in the Philippines.
Inspired has signed a multi-year contract with DFNN to provide various Virtual Games to PAG- COR across its authorized and regulated land- based retail betting locations nationwide.
The Philippines is a highly regulated market, overseen by PAGCOR. Virtuals will initially be going live in selected venues with a view to com- mencing a full roll-out across the Philippines.
Harmen Brenninkmeijer, SVP Asia and Strategic Markets, Inspired Gaming Group comments: “We are delighted to announce our first launch into the Philippines. The Philippines is considered to be among the Top Three credible and regulated gam-
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ing jurisdictions in Asia. The Asia Pacific region is a huge growth market for Inspired.
“Our Virtual Gaming Platform is well established and proven across retail, online and mobile chan- nels in Europe, China and many other markets - particularly with major bookmakers and lotteries – making it incredibly attractive to Asian markets and to many different types of players. We look forward to a long, successful relationship with the DFNN Group and to driving structured, compliant incremental revenue,” said Mr. Brenninkmeijer.
Inspired has over a decade of experience in launching its Virtual Gaming Platform into new markets. From a standing start, Inspired’s Virtual Gaming Platform and products have supported the development of a €1billion p.a. market in Italy in just one year. Its Virtual Gaming Platform and products are live across 40,000 venues and over 200 web and mobile sites in 35 countries.
Macau The Macao Gaming Show’s ‘robust’ advertising campaign is now in full swing following the launch of a series of TV adverts that will be showing in over 40 of Macao’s most luxurious apartments and commercial buildings. The 10-second broadcast forms part of an ongoing international promotional campaign in the lead up to the November (18 – 20) event at the Venetian Macao, which encompasses over 200 pages of gaming print media advertising and a dynamic promotion that sees MGS branding, information and messaging displayed across the Special Administrative Region’s yellow cabs, as well as on buses from the airport.
Macau dealt further smoking blow as revenues still plunge
MACAU Macau’s mass gaming, casino floors are now smoke-free since although smoking will be permit- ted in non-gaming, smoking rooms and in VIP rooms.
Currently only 12 of the 35 casi- nos have applied for permission for smoking rooms. The move follows four consecutive months of declining revenue growth amid low liquidity in the junket mar- ket, a crackdown on credit and a concern over the influx of staff needed for new casino properties.
The government has moved from a policy of allowing smoking in areas ‘that are of limited access to specific games and gamblers’ to one that limits all smoking on
main floors to separate smoking rooms. Union Gaming described it as an ‘11th hour change of plans.’
Unions’ Grant Govertsen and Felicity Chiang said: “Based on conversations we’ve had we can confirm that the smoking ban was apparently expanded to include 100 per cent of mass- market floors, including premi- um-mass areas. This also includes any enclosed premium- mass areas that had been con- structed under the spirit of the new regulations that seemingly allowed for smoking within so- called private gaming areas. This suggests that the recent con- struction of enclosed private gaming areas, at least for now, was an effort in futility. “
At least for now” is the operative phrase. Because operators were under the impression that smok- ing would be allowed in fully enclosed private gaming areas (to include premium mass), they did not build any smoking rooms within their premium-mass areas. Smoking rooms were only constructed on regular mass- market floors. As such, we would expect a new wave of construc- tion to begin immediately to cre- ate smoking rooms within premi- um-mass areas.”
Kenneth Fong of investment bank Credit Suisse added: “We understand from the operators that the government needs more time to approve the new floor plan and the classification of pre- mium mass area. The regulator wants to make sure that after the change, casino smoking floor area is still kept below 50 per cent. So there is still potential for further change in allocation.”
AUSTRALIA – CROWN SECURES ‘SUPER’ DEAL Galaxy Entertainment has taken first place in terms of mar- ket share in Macau, overtaking Sands China who accounted for 21.8 per cent of Macau’s GGR in September and SJM, who held 20.9 per cent. Galaxy, founded by Lui Che Woo, seized 22.9 per cent of Macau’s gaming market.
Grant Govertsen, an analyst with Union Gaming Research, cited Galaxy’s growing VIP business as the reason for its move up the table. “Galaxy has been growing its VIP busi- ness while all other operators have experienced notable declines, up to 25 per cent, in their VIP business”, he said. “We would expect Galaxy to likely retain its top market share of revenue position. However, when the VIP business recov- ers, I think you will see Sands, SJM and Galaxy all vying for the market share leader position. Galaxy has the unique advantage of being the first operator to open its new casino on Cotai. This should be advantageous for Galaxy, especially if the VIP market recovers in a meaningful way in early 2015. That would dovetail nicely with the large amount of supply Galaxy will bring online.”
Macau’s casino revenue dropped by 12 per cent to US$3.2bn in September, the fourth consecutive month it has fallen, marking the biggest drop in GGR since June 2009. In July Macau’s government cut the maximum number of days Chinese passport holders with transit visas can stay in the city to five from seven. The Macau authorities’ have also crackdowned on the use of UnionPay debit cards to transfer money from China.
Mr. Govertsen explained: “Mass market casino foot traffic, especially at the big-box casinos on Cotai, and certain instances of table games minimums, was lower than we expected. You get the dynamic now whereas these gaming names have been so crushed that even a slight improvement is viewed positively.”
VIETNAM - ASIAN COAST INVESTMENT IN GRAND HO Asian Coast Development, the owner of The Grand Ho Tram Strip, has announced a US$50m funding commitment from its majority shareholder, Harbinger Capital. This US$50m announcement is the second new investment in the Ho Tram Project in past months, following a US$20 million invest- ment by NewCity Capital in July 2014.
Harbinger Capital Principal Philip Falcone said: “We remain as excited about the Ho Tram Project today as we were when we made our initial investment in 2007. The Grand Ho Tram Strip resort and casino facilities and The Bluffs golf course designed by Greg Norman Golf Course Design have both received rave reviews. We are also extremely excited about the future development potential of our project. We are encouraged by the Vietnamese government’s progress on establishing a robust regulatory framework that will also pro- vide a road map for the establishment of locals gaming.”
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