Wire ASIA & OCEANIA
Macau Junket plans to build Fiji Resort
MACAU – Sands China will launch the second phase of its significant reinvestment programme at Marina Bay Sands in Singapore.
Estimated at US$750m, the second phase of transformation will focus on Tower three, the Hotel Lobby and Sands SkyPark. It will include a reimagined VIP arrival experience, new premium dining and retail offerings, a lobby transformation as well as a renewed focus on wellness experiences for guests. More than 550 redesigned rooms, including approximately 380 suites, will be introduced in this phase. Works are expected to be completed in phases through 2025.
This transformation is part of a multi-year programme to strengthen the positioning of Marina bay Sands as a leader in the luxury hospitality industry. This exciting news comes as Sands enters the final stage of its US$1bn first-phase reinvestment, announced in February 2022, which focused on the complete refurbishment of Hotel Towers one and two, in addition to new dining offerings and luxury lifestyle amenities for high- value travellers.
Paul Town, Marina Bay Sands’ Chief Operating Officer, said: “We are excited about the next stage of Marina Bay Sands’ development, and how this will strengthen Singapore’s appeal as a leading tourism destination. We are committing to our iconic integrated resort’s development as a world-class tourism destination and ensuring that we remain a unique, exhilarating experience for local and international visitors. This second phase of reinvestment will be critical as it propels the property to new heights and places us in a strong position to capture future growth opportunities. We look forward to having visitors enjoy these new and enhanced offerings.”
AUSTRALIA - Licensed venues in New South Wales are being warned to comply with important gaming harm minimisation measures or face enforcement action, after the licensee of an inner Sydney venue was found guilty under the Gaming Machines Regulation 2019, after placing an Automatic Teller Machine (ATM) in an ATM room attached to its gaming room.
The licensee of Vbar on Liverpool St in Sydney’s CBD was ordered to pay the prosecutor’s costs in the amount of $5,500 by the Local Court, after inspectors from Liquor & Gaming NSW (L&GNSW) found the ATM, and the Magistrate determined it was in the same part of the hotel as gaming machines were located. Large text reading ATM was also displayed across the door to this room, on the gaming room side. The decision follows an escalation in response which has seen 16 penalty notices issued and 13 prosecutions commenced.
P30 WIRE / PULSE / INSIGHT / REPORTS
Macau-based junket operator David Group has announced plans for Fiji’s first- ever casino with a $2bn resort development.
Junket operator David Group has announced plans for Fiji’s first ever casino with a $2bn resort development, boasting a gaming floor, a 1,000-room, seven-star hotel along with retail, resturants, a rugby stadium and a Disney-style theme park. If approved, the development would be located in either Southern Denarau or Wailoaloa in Nadi.
David Group Fiji casino project head, Sandeep Singh, said: “Te first phase of the development costing $1bn includes a stand-alone casino and 1000-room luxury integrated seven-star hotel with restaurants, conference rooms, a business centre, shopping mall, marina and the infrastructure required to connect this multifaceted development.
“Te second phase costing another $1bn would include an amusement park Disney-style, indoor rugby stadium and entertainment complex and luxury sub division,” he added. “A casino would provide the opportunity to diversify the Fijian tourism sector and entice more tourists from China. While a casino may be a lucrative inclusion to the Fijian tourism
Philippines
Te Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation (PAGCOR) has confirmed that the country’s gross gaming revenues (GGR) in 2023 reached a record Php285.27bn (US$5.11bn).
PAGCOR Chairman and CEO, Alejandro H. Tengco, said the new GGR record is 11.22 per cent higher than the previous high of Php256.49bn set in 2019 before the Covid-19 pandemic outbreak in 2020 when gaming revenues fell steeply because of movement restrictions. It was also 33 per cent up on last year's revenues.
“Our 2023 results exceeded even our most optimistic projections, and it proves beyond doubt that the Philippine gaming industry has fully recovered and is now poised for sustained growth in the medium- to long- term,” Chairman Tengco added.
landscape, we must mitigate against the local community being exposed to gambling. And in line with the ethos of the Government and stakeholders such as the Methodist Church of Fiji. Fijian citizens will not be allowed to enter the casino and our strict security protocols will ensure that this requirement is upheld.”
Minister for Trade, Co-operatives, Small and Medium Enterprises and Communications, Manoa Kamikamica, said that whilst the government had been made aware of the plans for a casino the topic had not even been discussed: “Any suggestion in any form of media that Government is backing issuance of casinos or supports casinos is irresponsible and untrue. Te establishment of Casinos is a issue that will concern the people of Fiji and must be handled with care and wisdom,” Mr. Kamikamica explained.
Te David Group has said it would be in agreement with a five per cent tax gambling and that it would establish a charity trust with members of religious, civic and government stakeholders.
Sri Lanka 10 applications tabled for casino licences
With 10 casino applications now received, Sri Lanka’s Ministry of Finance has confirmed the increase in fees for securing and renewing casino licences. State Minister of Finance Ranjith Siyambalapitiya confirmed that existing casinos will need to pay US$1.55m for the first five years and US$4.66m for the next 15 years combined, with a renewal fee of US$31m.
New operators spending US$250m on their projects with license and renewal fees coming in at $31m. If the investment on the new casino project reaches US$500m, operators will need to pay an initial license fee of $15.5m renewal fees of $31m. Te Sri Lankan government wants to establish a new regulator to oversee the casino sector.
Sri Lanka has received 10
applications to set up casinos under the new regulations put forward with rumours that Golden Island Hospitality would be issued with a licence along with rumours that a casino had been approved for the Lotus Tower, as well as in Kandy and Jaffna.
Mr. Siyambalapitiya said of the rumours: “I clearly said 10 applications have been received. We have to remember already regulated casinos which operated without paying a license for many years.
“We are talking about taxes, asking not to impose VAT, but when a tax is charged from tourists, they we are told not to do this. Ten are you asking to raise taxes on locals? Tere is a big problem in going forward with the reality.”
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44 |
Page 45 |
Page 46 |
Page 47 |
Page 48 |
Page 49 |
Page 50 |
Page 51 |
Page 52 |
Page 53 |
Page 54 |
Page 55 |
Page 56 |
Page 57 |
Page 58 |
Page 59 |
Page 60 |
Page 61 |
Page 62 |
Page 63 |
Page 64 |
Page 65 |
Page 66 |
Page 67 |
Page 68 |
Page 69 |
Page 70 |
Page 71 |
Page 72 |
Page 73 |
Page 74 |
Page 75 |
Page 76 |
Page 77 |
Page 78 |
Page 79 |
Page 80 |
Page 81 |
Page 82 |
Page 83 |
Page 84 |
Page 85 |
Page 86 |
Page 87 |
Page 88 |
Page 89 |
Page 90 |
Page 91 |
Page 92 |
Page 93 |
Page 94 |
Page 95 |
Page 96 |
Page 97 |
Page 98 |
Page 99 |
Page 100 |
Page 101 |
Page 102 |
Page 103 |
Page 104 |
Page 105 |
Page 106 |
Page 107 |
Page 108 |
Page 109 |
Page 110 |
Page 111 |
Page 112 |
Page 113 |
Page 114 |
Page 115 |
Page 116 |
Page 117 |
Page 118 |
Page 119 |
Page 120 |
Page 121 |
Page 122 |
Page 123 |
Page 124 |
Page 125 |
Page 126 |
Page 127 |
Page 128 |
Page 129 |
Page 130 |
Page 131 |
Page 132 |
Page 133 |
Page 134 |
Page 135 |
Page 136 |
Page 137 |
Page 138 |
Page 139 |
Page 140 |
Page 141 |
Page 142 |
Page 143 |
Page 144 |
Page 145 |
Page 146 |
Page 147 |
Page 148 |
Page 149 |
Page 150 |
Page 151 |
Page 152 |
Page 153 |
Page 154 |
Page 155 |
Page 156 |
Page 157 |
Page 158 |
Page 159 |
Page 160 |
Page 161 |
Page 162 |
Page 163 |
Page 164 |
Page 165 |
Page 166 |
Page 167 |
Page 168 |
Page 169 |
Page 170 |
Page 171 |
Page 172 |
Page 173 |
Page 174 |
Page 175 |
Page 176 |
Page 177 |
Page 178 |
Page 179 |
Page 180 |
Page 181 |
Page 182 |
Page 183 |
Page 184 |
Page 185 |
Page 186 |
Page 187 |
Page 188 |
Page 189 |
Page 190 |
Page 191 |
Page 192 |
Page 193 |
Page 194 |
Page 195 |
Page 196 |
Page 197 |
Page 198 |
Page 199 |
Page 200 |
Page 201 |
Page 202 |
Page 203 |
Page 204 |
Page 205 |
Page 206 |
Page 207 |
Page 208 |
Page 209 |
Page 210 |
Page 211 |
Page 212
