News

Global Market Advisors quoted in Las Vegas Review Journal

Strip of Japan casinos could rival Las Vegas, others

by Richard N. Velotta

A worldwide gaming and hospitality consultant has issued a report that says a strip of full-scale resorts on Osaka’s Yumeshima island in Japan could generate $10.9 billion a year in gaming revenue and rival Las Vegas, Macau and Singapore as a tourism destination.

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Kit Szybala quoted in Forbes

Silver Heritage Casino Hotel in Nepal Has A Mountain To Climb

by Muhammad Cohen

Frontier market specialist Silver Heritage Group’s casino project in Nepal targeting Indian visitors is over budget and will miss its scheduled opening this month.  That’s led to a suspension of trading in the company’s shares in Australia, a revamp of project management and a new fund raising exercise.  None of that means Tiger Palace Resort at Bhairahawa, the first purpose built integrated resort in South Asia, is a bad idea.

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Andrew Klebanow quoted in Forbes Asia

Macau Comes To America On Pacific Island Saipan

by Muhammad Cohen

A Hong Kong billionaire and her son appear to be building a casino juggernaut on a remote U.S. outpost, the island of Saipan.  A shiny beachfront casino-hotel is under construction, but meanwhile Chinese gamblers are betting huge amounts on their temporary casino in a nearby shopping mall – or at least it seems so.

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Shaun McCamley quoted on CalvinAyre.com

Shaun McCamley: Take a second look on social games

by Stephanie Raquel

No one can deny the popularity of mobile phones worldwide.  In fact, analysts are predicting that the number of mobile phone users in the world is expected to hit the 5 billion mark by 2019.

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Shaun McCamley quoted on calvinayre.com

ASEAN Gaming Summit interviews Vietnam experts

In mid-January 2017, Vietnam finally lifted its long-standing ban on domestic gambling, allowing Vietnamese locals to enter select casinos in the country.

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Indian Whitepaper written by Kit Szybala quoted in Forbes

From India’s Rise To Macau’s Rebound: A Look Back At Asia’s Casinos In 2016

by Muhammad Cohen

It’s time to check on my Asian gaming predictions for 2016.  As seen in my crystal ball, a half-scale Eiffel Tower has helped Macau climb back to growth.  The Philippines has been the top performing casino market in the region.  The moment of truth for Indian gaming is coming.  Asian casino operators increased their presence in Europe.  Shanghai Disneyland has been a hit but hasn’t stopped Macau’s turnaround.  Let’s look at last January’s forecasts in depth.

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Steve Gallaway quoted in Inside Asian Gaming

Japan Rolls the Dice

by Muhammad Cohen

When Genting Group Executive Chairman and CEO Lim Kok Thay said in November that Genting Singapore was pulling out of its US$1.8 billion integrated resort project in Jeju, South Korea, to focus on casino development in Japan, many snickered.  Over the past 18 months, Korea has gone from hot to not in gaming circles as it became clear the new IRs would not be open to locals, so it wasn’t surprising that Genting would abandon an expensive project with limited prospective returns.

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Shaun McCamley quoted in The Straits times

Opening Vietnam’s casinos to locals a calculated gamble

by Tan Hui Yee

There was concern over the weekend after Vietnam announced a three-year trial allowing locals to enter the country’s casinos.

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Steve Gallaway quoted in the Macau Daily Times

Japan   Analysts: Many complications ahead of integrated resorts bill

Gaming analysts are confident that Japan’s recently approved integrated resorts bill will present both a popular and profitable venture to investors.  However, these analysts note that many complications must be dealt with before the first resorts open, and Japanese homegrown brands will likely command a majority share.

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Steve Gallaway quoted in Forbes

Japan Casinos A Big Deal But Still Not a Done Deal

by Muhammad Cohen

When Japanese lawmakers passed the Integrated Resort Promotions Bill in December, they answered decades of prayers from casino operators around the world.  Casino legalization in Japan is Asian gaming’s most wanted rule change, given that casinos in mainland China are an impossible dream.  Even after more than a quarter century of recession and stagnation, Japan is still the world’s fourth largest economy – between India and Germany – offering a sizable domestic market of 125 million with a penchant for other forms of gambling.  Japan is also an attractive tourist destination that the government hopes integrated resorts will enhance.  But legislation passed last month was just the first step in a process that promises to be as lengthy and as uncertain of a winning outcome as this first step was.

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