Wire ASIA & OCEANIA
Macau Recovery Bolsters Melco Bottom Line
AUSTRALIA – The Victorian Gambling and Casino Control Commission (VGCCC) has fined Tabcorp Wagering $1m for not complying with two Commission directions issued during its investigation of Tabcorp’s major system outage in the 2020 Spring Racing Carnival. The scale of the fine, the largest ever imposed by the Commission on Tabcorp, reflects Tabcorp’s repeated failure to comply with Commission directions to provide information concerning the outage, which left Tabcorp’s Wagering and Betting System (WBS) unavailable for approximately 36 hours.
Commission Chair, Fran Thorn, said Tabcorp’s conduct was unacceptable. “We will not tolerate licensees that are not forthcoming and cooperative when the Commission investigates. The Commission had to use its compulsory powers and issue directions because Tabcorp did not provide the information we required about the business continuity and disaster recovery capability of its systems. It is Tabcorp’s failure to comply with these directions that has led to the fine announced today.”
In November 2020, Tabcorp’s WBS suffered a major outage. There is an obligation under the Wagering and Betting Licence and Agreement for the WBS to be continuously available. As a result, the VGCCC’s predecessor – the Victorian Commission for Gambling and Liquor Regulation – commenced investigating the outage. The directions were issued after Tabcorp failed to voluntarily provide adequate information about the outage to the regulator. Tabcorp’s conduct during its dealings with the VGCCC over the course of the investigation and in response to the directions impacted the Commission’s ability to understand the cause of the major outage and gain confidence that it would not recur. The maximum penalty for contravening Commission directions is $9,087,000.
NEW ZEALAND - SkyCity Entertainment has been informed by the Department of Internal Affairs that the Secretary of the Department is making an application to the Gambling Commission to temporarily suspend SkyCity Casino Management Limited's casino operator's licence for a period 'in the range of 70 days.'
SkyCity Casino Management, a subsidiary of SkyCity, is the holder of the casino operator's licence for the SkyCity Auckland, SkyCity Hamilton and SkyCity Queenstown casinos in New Zealand. The Commission will now consider whether to make an order to suspend SCML's casino operator's licence and, if so, the duration of any such suspension. A decision may not be forthcoming for a number of months. The application has been made following a complaint made in February 2022 to the Department by a former customer who gambled at the SkyCity Auckland casino over a five-year period.
P26 WIRE / PULSE / INSIGHT / REPORTS
Te strength of Macau’s recovery is evident in Melco’s 43 per cent increase in gross gaming revenue across the second quarter of 2023.
Melco Resorts & Entertainment generated operating revenues for the second quarter of 2023 of US$947.9m, representing an increase of approximately 220 per cent from US$296.1m for the comparable period in 2022.
Te increase in total operating revenues was primarily attributable to the improved performance in all gaming segments and non- gaming operations primarily due to the relaxation of COVID-19 related restrictions in Macau in January 2023, the openings of Studio City Phase 2’s Epic Tower and indoor waterpark in April 2023, as well as the launch of residency concerts at Studio City in the same month.
Lawrence Ho, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, explained: “Te strength of our Macau recovery is evident in the 43 per cent increase in gross gaming revenue in the second quarter of 2023 compared to the first quarter of 2023. We’ve seen mass drop increase month-to- month and turnover in our premium direct VIP segment continued to exceed 2019 during the second quarter. Labour supply issues in Macau have been largely resolved. We have been able
to provide our customers with Melco’s full suite of services and amenities. We expect to add another 560 hotel rooms to our portfolio with the opening of W Macau at Studio City in September and are well positioned to support the continuing increase of customers in Macau.”
Te mass segment is also leading the recovery in the Philippines, continuing to outperform 2019 in the second quarter of 2023. Operating revenues at Altira Macau were US$29.3m, compared with US$7.2m in the second quarter of 2022. City of Dreams Manila generated US$116.4m, compared with US$111.7m the year prior.
Studio City generated US$236m, compared with US$35.9m in the second quarter of 2022. Studio City generated Adjusted EBITDA of US$41.1m in the second quarter of 2023, compared with negative Adjusted EBITDA of US$31.1m in the second quarter of 2022. Te year-over-year increase in Adjusted EBITDA was primarily a result of better performance in the mass market table games segment and non-gaming operations.
Phillippines PAGCOR warns of fake online gaming sites
State gaming regulator Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation has warned against the proliferation of websites using the PAGCOR logo without permission to mislead the public that their activities are connected with licensed offshore gaming in the Philippines.
PAGCOR Chairman and CEO Alejandro H. Tengco said he is strongly advising the public to exercise caution when accessing such online gaming websites “because they may pose risks to your personal and financial information.”
Te PAGCOR chief added that they have endorsed the results of investigation and monitoring of dubious websites to the Philippine National Police as well as to the Department of Information and
Communication Technology and the National Bureau of Investigation for proper action.
Mr. Tengco said other steps being taken include continuing engagement with law enforcement agencies and electronic payment service providers to explore the possibility of blocking payments made to and from illegal gambling websites which he said has been proven effective in the US and Singapore.
“In coordination with the NTC, we will also continue to follow up on illegal sites that have not been blocked or taken down,” he said. “Another option is to create a landing site to redirect bettors to a website that will warn them about illegal sites that they are accessing.”
United Arab Emirates
Te United Arab Emirates has set up a federal entity to regulate commercial gaming with some big names from the US gaming sector with Kevin Mullally, formerly of the Missouri Gaming Commission, and Jim Murren, previously MGM Resorts Chairman set to lead it.
Te General Commercial Gaming Regulatory Authority will create 'a socially responsible and well-regulated gaming environment, ensuring that all participants adhere to strict guidelines and comply with the highest standards.
Te conservative Gulf region is set to embrace gaming with Wynn Resorts opening a US$3.9bn casino resort on Ras Al Khaimah. Mr Murren will chair the newly created GCGRA while Kevin Mullally will be its Chief Executive.
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