February Infinity Gaming Magazine

SJM break ground on new resort

Las Vegas Sands to leave American Association

Australians lose the most in new report

InfinityGaming

www.gaming-awards.com | ISSUE FEBRUARY 2014

STEVE WYNN

Against online Gambling

CALIFORNIA

Ready for online gambling

ASPERS

Going got Southampton

LAS VEGAS SANDS

Hackers take down sites

SPECIAL FOCUS

International Gaming Awards

contents InfinityGaming EDITOR’S LETTER

New Resort Breaks Ground.................................06-07 Professor Rose looks at Cuba and says they need casinos

Culture Clash.............................................................08-09 Professor Rose looks at doing business in Aisa & USA

New Brands - Low Budget...................................12-13 Ellen Learmonth looks at Affiliate Business

7th International Gaming Awards Special....14-49

06

SJM NEW RESORT

All the winners and fun at the Industry Oscars

God Awful Small Affair..........................................50-53 JJ Woods latest article on Ireland

California for online gambling?.........................54-55 Could the largest US state enter online this year?

Las Vegas Sands to leave AGA............................56-57 It’s been coming for months now Adelson says so

Casino Customer Service Lessons....................58-59

09

RANK IN N.IRELAND

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ALL THE PICS FROM IGA7

Martin Baird looks at how we learnt from Amazon

Aussies biggest losers............................................60-61 New report says Australians lose the most

International News.................................................62-63 Round-up of International news

Galaxy Entertainment Announcement..........64-65 Macau operator announces big win

Aspers confirm bid for Southampton.............66-67 New European Operator of the Year confirms bid

Steve Wynn................................................................68-69 Casino boss against online gambling again

It’s time to get the App..........................................70-71 Your favourite magazine is now available on NEWSSATANDS

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STEVE WYNN MIND CHANGE AGAIN

EDITOR’S LETTER Lana Thompson - Chief Editor

by

EDITORS NOTES Welcome tto the February edition of the Infinity Gaming Magazine First of all we would like to say congratulations to all International Gaming Awards Winners. We have some great photos from the IGA evening in Savoy Hotel and of course awesome selfies you sent to us during the evening.

We were very proud to meet Dr. Lui Che-woo in person and look through magnificent video presentation prior him receiving Outstanding Contribution Award.

What a colourful career and truly outstanding achievement! What a great start of the year for us, meeting the real, the inspirational- Star!

I would like once again to thank you our industry experts contributing to Infinity Gaming Magazine with their knowledge and opinions.

Huge thank you to Martin R Baird and our beautiful expert Ellen Learmonth, our knowledgeable JJ Woods, and always insightful Professor I Nelson Rose with article about culture clash.

We would like to say, huge thank

you to 7Red for donating Mike Tyson signed glove, T-shirt and hat and helping us to raise money for Care International charity .

Finally, dear readers, spring is nearly here and I am sure that we all desperate for some sunshine and getting out to the golf course, apart from those who live in exotic islands and don’t know what we are talking about Looking forward seeing you all at the Women in Gaming event soon.

Enjoy the magazine

Lana x

CONTRIBUTING WRITERS Christina Thakor-Rankin

Martin R. Baird Wayne Openshaw Ellen Learmonth J.J. Woods CONTACT US

Clever Duck Media Suite 105 Park Plaza Point South Hayes Way Cannock WS12 2DB UK Tel: +44(0)1543 578 689 claire@cleverduckmedia. com PRODUCTION

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The Infinity Gaming

Opinion Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed in all external articles are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of The Infinity Gaming Magazine Any content provided by our feature writers or authors are of their opinion, and are not intended to malign any religion, ethic group, club, organization, company, individual or anyone or anything.

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MACAU GAMING NEWS

New Casino Resort breaks ground in Macau The latest development from SJM will have 700 gaming tables, 1,200 slots and three hotels with up to 2,000 hotel rooms.

At the ground-breaking ceremony SJM Holdings chief executive Ambrose So Shu Fai urged the government to consider letting casinos employ migrant workers as croupiers.

He said this would allow Macau permanent residents employed as croupiers to move up the career ladder.

S

tanley Ho the casino mogul and owner of Macau’s largest casino operator SJM Holdings has seen his company break ground on the new casino resort in Cotai. The new resort costing $3.9 billion will be named the Lisboa Palace and is scheduled for completion in 2017.

Mr So said the company is still finalising the deal to codevelop a neighbouring plot controlled by Angela Leong On Kei, SJM Holdings’s executive director, as part of the project.

Genting to build casino resort in South Korea Genting are to develop a casino resort on Jeju Island which is part of South Korea, aiming at attracting Chinese players.

The resort which is slated to cost $2.2 billion and will be a joint development with Hong Kong based company, Landing International Development Ltd. Yang Zhihui, chairman of Landing International Development, said at a press conference in Hong Kong,“Eastern and Northern China is very close to Jeju Island and it’s roughly about a one-hour flight, which makes so much more sense for people in Beijing, Shanghai or Qingdao to come to Jeju Island than going to Macau.”

Once completed the resort will have a total of 800 gaming tables, which will include 200 tables for VIPs, a theme park, shopping malls, villas, apartments and three hotels on a 2.3 million square meter site.

Figures show that about 4.3 million Chinese tourists visited South Korea in 2013, an increase of 53% from 2012, and more than one-third of the country’s total, according to data from Korea Tourism Organization.

The joint venture will be a 50-50 partnership between Genting and Landing International and the design of the resort will follow that of Genting’s Resorts World Sentosa, one of Singapore’s two casino resorts.

Yang said. Construction will begin in June 2014 and the Chinese company may need to raise funds in the equity market to finance the project, the chairman said.

FEATURE ARTICLE

Culture Clash © 2013, I. Nelson Rose. Prof. Rose is recognized as one of the world’s leading experts on gambling law, and is a consultant and expert witness for governments and industry. His latest books, INTERNET GAMING LAW (1st and 2nd editions), BLACKJACK AND THE LAW and GAMING LAW: CASES AND MATERIALS, and the recently published GAMING LAW IN A NUTSHELL, are available through his website, www.GAMBLINGANDTHELAW.com.

I

t is not easy to do business in Asia. Or in the U.S.

This is especially true of heavily regulated businesses, like legal gaming. And the problems are compounded when an individual who is a product of one culture wants to expand into a foreign market.

Sometimes, the barriers are structural. How, for example, do you prove your financial purity to a Nevada regulator when you operate in a country in Asia where you cannot easily get access to your own bank records?

Investigators from American state regulatory agencies are often surprised to find that their status as police agents means little when trying to get confidential information from the police in Tokyo, let alone in Beijing.

At other times, misunderstandings come from cultural differences. In the U.S., casino operators and suppliers

often have to supply fingerprints to state gaming regulators. But in most of the rest of the world, especially Asia, being fingerprinted is often seen as a sign that the person must be guilty of a crime.

How do you even get the official fingerprints to send to an American state regulator when your local police tell you that they only fingerprint individuals who have been arrested?

And the world has just gotten a lot more complicated. It was difficult enough for the Las Vegas Sands (“LVS”) to get all the rights to open a giant version of its Las Vegas Venetian in Macau. Success breeds jealousy in many parts of the world. So, for years there were allegations that LVS’s Sheldon Adelson had used political or other influences. Ten years after LVS got one of the first three concessions to operate casinos in this Special Administrative Region of the People’s Republic of China, trial is being held in a Nevada court over the claim by Richard Suen, a Hong Kong businessman, that he is entitled to millions of dollars for supposedly introducing Adelson to high-ranking Chinese officials.

Today, it is not just American gaming companies trying to open copies of their successful landbased casinos around

Culture Clash

the globe. The Genting Group has expanded from its Highlands hotelcasino in Malaysia to the integrated resort in Singapore, a racino in New York City, and now to a billion-dollar casino complex in Las Vegas. Casinos Austria probably operates more casinos in more different countries than any other operator.

But the real change is merging of different worlds. The Internet operator PokerStars wants to buy the brick and mortar Atlantic Club, formerly known as the Atlantic City Hilton Casino. Caesars Entertainment has created a subsidiary, Caesars Interactive Entertainment, headed by Mitch Garber, formerly CEO of PartyGaming. This Montrealbased division is responsible for the World Series of Poker and all Caesars Palace and Harrah’s online gaming.

It’s not just landbased casinos wanting to go online and vice versa.

Caesars paid top dollar in 2011 to buy Israel-based Playtika, a com-

pany that was losing money but had developed some of the most popular games on social networks like Facebook. Bwin-PartyGaming has announced its intention to get into the social network games. The biggest player in the social gaming field, Zynga, sees its stock rise and fall on every rumor that its announced plans to get into real money gaming have taken a step forward, or backward.

what the laws are in the two states.

A good lawyer can even give a legal opinion on whether the state restrictions violate a higher law, like the United States Constitution.

Language is obviously the first barrier to overcome. The problem is particularly acute for legal gambling. Throughout the world, gambling is restricted by law.

Which means that legal gaming is a creation of local law. And local laws between countries differ a lot more than the difference between states.

When Portugal gave Macau back to China in 1999, it insisted that the laws of the S.A.R. continue to be in both Chinese and Portuguese for the next 50 years. They are both official languages, creating the possibility of conflicts and confusion.

Of course, it does not help that many of the operators in Macau today cannot read either Chinese or Portuguese.

Utah and Nevada share a border, but are seen, correctly, as having completely different public policies toward gambling. As different as they may be, any student of American law can fairly quickly determine

But Utah and Nevada are part of the same legal system, with the same history and culture. And the same words. For while doctors have medicine and scalpels, lawyers only have words.

And even if the Americans and Australians running Macanese casinos were fluent in one or both of the languages, they wouldn’t

Culture Clash continued

necessarily appreciate the different legal cultures. For example, Macau does not issue casino licenses.

Operators get concessions. These derive from Portuguese law. American law is based on English common law.

And the legal cultures of the People’s Republic of China and the U.S. or Australia could not be more different. A few years ago the Chief Executive (we would call him governor) of Macau unilaterally announced a moratorium on new casino construction. In the U.S., the lawsuits would have been flying.

But in China... well that is just the way things are done.

Cultural differences arise at all levels of the law. In China, gifts are a basic part of the social fabric and family ties are strong. Even something as standard as giving a gift (in Asia) might be a federal felony under U.S. laws.

And how should an American gaming regulator react to a Chinese father giving his daughter $80 million to buy a share of a casino?

New Jersey regulators said no one gives a gift like that without strings attached. Since they didn’t like the father, Stanley Ho, they found his daughter Pansy unsuitable to be partners with MGM in Macau.

Nevada regulators had the same information, but decided that they would let MGM stay in business with Pansy, unless and until they saw some undue influence by Stanley.

Nevada was criticized for being too weak. But few Americans are aware that many people in China were offended by New Jersey’s decision.

There is one culture that is unlike all the others: The American regulatory system over casinos. Operators from other parts of the gaming industry are often shocked at the intrusiveness of state government background checks, and the control of every part of this privately owned businesses by federal, state and local officials.

Nevada created its regulatory system in the 1950s, for very good reasons. The Kefauver hearings, the

first televised Congressional investigations, linked Las Vegas casinos with the Mob. State officials feared the federal government might take over control of casinos, or even close them all down.

There may no longer be secret Mafia owners, but the culture of complete control was adopted by every other American state. Casinos in Atlantic City were not even allowed to have different colored felts on their tables.

If America wants to remain the leader in legal gaming, we have to remember that in culture clashes, there are no winners. Given a choice between Atlantic City and Macau, MGM chose China.

Next Month from Professor Rose: New Jersey: from the Garden state to the Gambling state

AFFILIATE ARTICLE

New Brands: Low Budget – Low Quality?

By Ellen Learmonth Ellen Learmonth for her February article discussions Low cost affiliate campaigns and trust needed in them

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he key to successfully launching a new brand is achievable in one easy step, “spend millions on a branding campaign”. No? Not what you had in mind?? OK there is another way but it isn’t as quick or as easy as throwing money at it. The answer lays in clever affiliate management and building a brand reputation that is here to last. Market entry with a new brand is never easy but if you rely on affiliate marketing then the road to success is possible, but it might be harder than you would expect.

The Misconception Use the skin of a well-known casino software and hire an experienced affiliate manager with a long list of contacts. Job done. Now all you have to do is wait for the registrations to kick in and the money will follow. Prediction is 3 months max! Yeah right!!!

If you have picked a nice name for your casino and you have a neat design with all the call to action items in the right place then you would think you have a successful recipe to attract new players. However, your potential clients need convincing to try out your casino unless you are giving away free cash to play with and you will have all of the bonus hunters finding your page with ease.

Let’s say you only offer a medium deposit bonus – nothing out of the ordinary – then you need to amplify your offer with the aid of affiliates who have built a reputation for reliable information on bonuses and new offers.

But you know this; hence you have hired a reputable affiliate manager.

And so it begins! Your affiliate manager starts to get in touch with his list of contacts and yes, they are happy to talk to him and some even sign up to your program immediately without too much persuasion, but you do not see the rate of sign-ups that you hoped for.

The Reality Your affiliate manager is trying to acquire affiliates for you and that can/does take time, and here’s how; the affiliate manager advertises on his private networks that he knows and loves, representing your brand as best he can. The communication between affiliate manager and affiliates on a regular basis is a “must-do” and can or at least should never be taken for granted. The next step in the affiliate manager’s book of tricks is a one-to-one or face-to-face meeting with affiliates whenever possible but still the affiliates are hesitant.

This is where you have to understand that it needs time, because your product is still fresh, trust is built between affiliate manager and affiliates, but not in your product yet.

What the affiliate manager is asking is that they buy into your brand on faith by trusting him. A tall order by most standards, yet something that is essential for you and the affiliate manager.

The affiliates do not know that they can trust you, that this brand will be around for the long haul. They have no experience with your tracking software or know if you

Affiliate Business - New Brands: Low Budget - Low Quality

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ill pay the commission without unnecessary deductions. There’s no player feedback to rely on, no reviews to read through and very little in the way of customer interaction. There is a short version which comes at a cost, spend millions on a brand strategy, OR, build a reputation over time. Here are some steps which will help lead you there: 1. Stick to your affiliate manager. Frequently changing your manager is counterproductive.

2. Support the efforts of your affiliate manager by: o Attending affiliate conferences. Do not go in too big and brash but have a solid representation and continue to do so 3 times a year as the brand becomes a recognisable fixture. Do have a memorable give-away for your brand, it helps the visitors remember you and gets you word-of-mouth traffic. o Do not change your commission structure once published. Stick to basic and easily understandable terms and conditions for your program. o Make sure you pay your affiliates without delay. o Support collaboration with the big affiliate forums as they are a get-go for seasoned and new affiliates.

want to refer you if players keep complaining.

4. Build a social media communication around your brand. The more digital properties are connected to the brand the greater the brand perception.

5. Invest in a good PR agency to support the brand.

Once the brand has a voice the affiliates will not ignore it.

Trust is a two-way street and reputations are built on this so getting the basics right from the beginning should be the corner stone to your strategy. Big brands with big budgets tend to do well at the beginning, but that is down to a well-funded start-up campaign, but what sticks is the brand that builds reputation and connections that are seen to be simple, fair and above all professional.

Getting your strategy wrong is easy, just ignore your affiliate manager and build a business on a whim with a short term money spinning product that isn’t looking for repeat business. Getting it right takes a little longer but the benefits out way the short term cash cow that seems to be the norm.

3. Treat your customers well – your affiliate will not ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Ellen Learmonth has been active in digital media for over 14 years covering all disciplines of online marketing with strong expertise in acquisition and affiliate marketing. She is passionate about innovation and new technology with a strong drive for creativity. Her 2006 World Cup Campaign earned two prestigious creative design awards at the New York Festival (Bronze) and The International Davey Award (Gold). Now living in London, Ellen is lending her expertise to some of the major gaming operators.

A W A R D S T H E 7 T H I N T E R N AT I O N A L G A M I N G

SPECIAL EDITION

Exclusive Pictures from the ceremony

Outstanding Contribution Award Dr Lui Che-woo

Issue February 2014

S E C T I O N T I T L E

7th IGA Contents 20 24

Champagne Taking Care Pics from the Party

Our charity Care International

21 31

Warming up the awards Outstanding Award The first few winners of the night

Dr Lui Che-woo

32 34

The Story Fun of the night

The history of Dr Lui Che-woo

We gotta party

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All the winners Your selfies YThe winners of the night

Your pics of the night

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S E C T I O N T I T L E

THE

SAVOY HOTEL 3rd Februar y 2014

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Women in Gaming Awards

Watch the Video

http://www.gaming-awards.com/wig

The most

fabulous charity event of 2014 in support of

C H A M PA G N E R E C E P T I O N

KING PLEASURE And The Biscuit Boys

MAG A Z I N E

The Champagne Reception Party & Interviews

Above Interview with Mikael Pawlo 2 0

S E C T I O N T I T L E

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hen you have a chance to speak to some of the leading figures from the online and land based gambling industry Clever Duck Media and our interviewers Kirsty and Sara did not miss the opportunity.

The team were on hand to turn on the lights and record some truly memorable moments from the Champagne Reception sponsored by online gaming software supplier Betsoft Gaming.

The reception party was in full swing thanks to the superb tunes from the famed King Pleasure & The Biscuit Boys that got the whole room dancing.

With champagne flowing and the music attendees were relaxed talking to our intrpid reporters about what their companies had planned for 2014 and beyond.

As always with the International Gaming Awards there were some glamorous dresses by the ladies and all the men dressesd to impress.

This is a night for the entire gambling industry to get together and celebrate their and others achievements.

The setting for the 7th International Gaming Awards was the Savoy Hotel in London and attendees were treated to the highest level of service only one of the most exclusive hotels in the World can deliver.

Everything was in place for what was going to be one of the best nights ever for the awards ceremony and all those in attendance.

Above Photos The ladies arriving for the IGA 2 1

MAG A Z I N E

Above Everywhere you looked great dresses

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S E C T I O N T I T L E

Top Left Glamorous dresses were a feature Left Networking is always a must Above A very busy Champagne Reception

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MAG A Z I N E

Taking Care Industry supporting Care International

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very year at the International Gaming Awards we encourage the entire gambling industry to come out and help support one of the hardest working and global reaching charities, the charity being Care International.

Over the seven years now we have raised hundred of thousands of pounds for Care and other deserving charities. It is only with the help, support and encouragement of those attending are we able to support them, this year we were lucky to have Mr Green offer to be a charity sponsor giving up two superb Tiffany items of jewelery to raise funds and also 7Red offered for the auction a personally signed and used boxing glove from 8 times Heavyweight Champion of the World Iron Mike Tyson.

Here is a little about Care International and why the International Gaming Awards works all year round to support them: CARE fights poverty and injustice in 86 countries around the world to help the world’s poorest people find routes out of poverty. CARE also delivers emergency aid to survivors of war and natural disasters, and helps people rebuild their lives in the aftermath.

CARE’s mission is to create lasting change in poor communities and put money where it is needed most:

working with women to create permanent social change. Women are at the heart of CARE’s community-based efforts to improve basic education, increase access to quality healthcare and expand economic opportunity for all.

CARE International is non-religious and non-political, allowing us to deliver humanitarian and development assistance to anyone in need regardless of race, gender, ethnicity, age, religion, political view or sexual orientation.

With more than 60 years’ practical and hands-on experience, our programmes tackle the deep-seated root causes of poverty, not just the consequences.

More than 90 per cent of our 13,000-plus staff are locally-hired, and we increasingly look to work alongside local organisations.

CARE’s vision for a world without poverty requires us to address the underlying causes of poverty, rather than to simply focus on its symptoms.

Poverty is the product of complex social processes that affect people’s dignity and security as well

Above Party time

94 pence in every pound goes towards our poverty fighting programmes - that’s one of the highest rates among all the UK aid agencies.

as their material well-being.

CARE seeks to understand all the factors that make people poor before choosing which ones to concentrate on in each individual project.

CARE and women CARE tackles the underlying causes of poverty so that people can become self-sufficient. Recognising that women and girls suffer disproportionately from poverty, CARE places special emphasis on

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Left Heather Li - Care International

MAG A Z I N E

Ready for the Awards Guests make their way

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s the Champagne Reception comes to a close all those attending made their way to the main ballroom for the start of the Awards ceremony, where the 23 iconic Star Awards were waiting for those lucky few to be honoured for the achievements over the last 12 months.

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Categories Sponsored by

Above Left Gambling Compliance wins Publication Above 7Red wins Fair Play award Left Skrill wins Corporate Services Supplier

Women in Gaming Awards

Nominations Opening Soon

http://www.gaming-awards.com/wig

The most

fabulous charity event of 2014 in support of

S E C T I O N T I T L E

“

It was a true honour to be named Innovator of the Year�

Above Net Entertainment wins Innovator Award Category Sponsored by 2 9

S E C T I O N T I T L E

Outstanding Contribution Award Dr Lui Che-woo

Presenting the Award

Watching the award video

On Stage

Mr Andrew Love, the Executive Chairman of the Ritz Club & Chairman of the International Gaming Awards Judges goes on stage to present the outstanding contribution award video

The Chairman of Galaxy Entertainment Group and Asia’s second richest man, Dr Lui Che-woo watches the video presentation of his rise from poverty as a thirteen year old to now a ;eading player in Macau along with investments around the world.

The 84 year old flew in with leading members of the Galaxy Entertainment team to attend the 7th International Gaming Awards. He was visibly moved by the 5 minute standing ovation the whole Savoy Ballroom gave to him.

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Dr Lui Che-woo Asia’s second richest man on stage to receive his accolade

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S E C T I O N T I T L E

The Story

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orn 1929 in Jiangmen, China, and moved to Hong Kong with his family at four.

1942: Became the breadwinner of his family in early years due to warfare, embarking on a legendary journey of entrepreneurship.

1955: Founded the first company of K. Wah Group. As a pioneer in construction materials industry of Hong Kong, he introduced mechanization to quarries by the import of heavy construction equipment and later became a major supplier of quarry-products and concrete.

1960s: Engaged in integrated property developments and investments in Hong Kong, Mainland China, South East Asia and major cities in the US. 1970s: Ventured into the hospitality industry and introduced hotel franchising in Hong Kong by forging partnerships with international hotel brands to establish five-star hotel in Tsim Sha Tsui East. He later expanded the business to the US , owning and operating about 20 hotels and is one of the 12 largest hotel owners in the US. 1980s: Captured the opportunity among the pioneers to enter Mainland China’s market with construction materials business as the first investment, now with over 10 production base partnering with major state enterprises in major cities and industrial towns. Its property flagship, K. Wah International Holdings Limited, was listed in Hong Kong in 1987.

1990s: Sped up its business development in Mainland China and participated in the

first large-scale urban renewal project in Guangzhou, with vibrant progress in property, hospitality and construction materials business. K. Wah Construction Materials Limited was listed in Hong Kong in 1991.

2002: Succeeded in becoming one of the gaming concessionaires in Macau, Galaxy Entertainment Group was the first Hong Kong-listed company to develop world class leisure, entertainment, shopping, dining and exhibition and convention facilities in Macau.

2010: K. Wah Group celebrated its 55th anniversary, with a global presence and diversified business portfolio in properties, entertainment & leisure, hospitality and construction materials, playing a part in the development of the Greater China region.

2011: The grand opening of Galaxy Macau™, a large-scale integrated resort complex signifying quality service and diversified facilities underpinned by the eclectic mix of Chinese and Western cultures. The project had soon become the market’s attention, bringing guests from all over the world with exquisite experience.

2012: Dr Lui Che-woo, Chairman of K. Wah Group (“the Group”) was bestowed the Grand Bauhinia Medal (GBM) by the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Government in recognition of his long and distinguished contribution to social and charity services in Hong Kong.

Fudan University, Shanghai – Lui Che Woo Hall, Lui Che Woo Building.

China Europe International Business School – Lui Che Woo Lecture Theatre.

South China University of Technology, Guangzhou – Lui Che Woo Scholarship Nanjing University – sports facilities Wuyi University, Jiangmen – one of the founding sponsors; construction of conference and lecture, teaching and science buildings Virya Foundation – sponsoring university students in remote villages in Mainland China to complete 4 to 5 years of undergraduate programmes.

University of Macau – Lui Che Woo College in the new campus in Hengqin, Zhuhai The University of Hong Kong – Lui Che Woo Law Library The Chinese University of Hong Kong – Lui Che Woo Institute of Innovative Medicine, School of Hotel and Tourism Management The Hong Kong Polytechnic University – School of Hotel and Tourism Management “Lui Che Woo Hotel and Tourism Resource Centre”; Lui Che Woo Building etc Stanford University, USA – Medical School

Major charitable sponsorship in recent years:

Concordia University, Canada

The Ministry of Education of PRC – construction of 122 primary and secondary schools in eight provinces.

Victoria University, Canada

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Left The entertainment begins Above Divas Incognito Right The audience gets up to boogy

Left X-Factor style auditions Above The show truly goes on Right Richard Cammegh ready to sing

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Above Divas Incognito close out Right Standing ovation from the entire room Below Sara & Kirsty get the auction underway

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MAG A Z I N E

Above Unibet receives the award for Online Sportsbook Operator

Category Sponsored by

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S E C T I O N T I T L E

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very year the global industry turns out for the International Gaming Awards and with the growth in Australia continuing it was no surprise that Crown Melbourne picked up the award for Best Integrated Casino/Resort this year.

Above Crown Melbourne picks up Casino/Integrated Resort of the Year

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Category Sponsored by

“

It was a fantastic feeling when you wait and then hear your company name announced as the winner

Category Sponsored by

Above Cherry Casino wins Online Gaming Operator of the Year

Right Paddy Power wins Socially Responsible Operator Online

Category Sponsored by

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Category Sponsored by

Above IGT celebrates winning Slot Manufacturer/Provider Online or Land Based

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MAG A Z I N E

Winning an award You got to thank people

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edcorp receives the award for Mobile Operator of the Year.

The company also donated the Iron Mike Tyson boxing glove for the charity auction, which helped to raise thousands of pounds on the night.

Category Sponsored by

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Categories Sponsored by

Top Left TCSJohnHuxley win the Technology Provider Award for the first time.

AboveRank win Socially Responsible Operator Land Based Left Optimal Payments wins Payment Processor

“

This was a great moment for all the team for all their hard work over the last twelve months

Above Galaxy Entertainment wins Casino Operator Of The Year Asia/Australia

RightPlaytech scoops up iGaming Software Supplier

Category Sponsored by

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Category Sponsored by

Above Mecca Bingo celebrates Online Bingo Operator of the Year

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MAG A Z I N E

And The Winners are The Final few but some big names

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he hardest part of award ceremonies is waiting till the last few awards to see if you have conqured, watching all those before you go on stage and wondering if you will be next is always a nervous time. But for PokerStars, Mr Green, Williams Interactive & Cammegh Ltd the wait was all worthwhile.

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Categories Sponsored by

Top Left Williams Interactive wins Slots Operator of the Year (Online) Above Mr Green wins Online Casino Operatro for the second year Left Cammegh Ltd awarded Traditional Casino Equipment Supplier

Had to wait to the very end but Aspers scooped one of the biggest awards of the evening with the Casino Operator Europe Award, their first ever time winning the award although have been nominated and reached the finals on several other years.

MAG A Z I N E

Right Richard Smith of Aspers receives the award from Konrad Gill Director of iGaming from sponsors Casino Technology

Category Sponsored by

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S E C T I O N T I T L E

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MAG A Z I N E

SELFIE SPOTTING Do you recognise yourself in the Selfies? On the evening guests were encouraged to send in selfies of themselves, well done to everyone but not sure the gentlemen on the right was too happy about it and what happened to the gentlemen with the one eye clsoed!

Above Girls just want to have fun

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Top Left The table look happy except for the gentleman in the middle Left Our super Sponsors Above Some more great selfies

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SPECIAL Feature Article

God Awful Small Affair!

By J.J. Woods Our feature writer JJ Woods in his February article looks at the steps that are being taken in the Irish parliament towards new legislation for gambling.

JJ Woods was born in Ireland but left in the 1970’s to live in London and he started his career in banking. After four years in Banking in London JJ trained in the Casino Industry. Over the last 30 years JJ has dedicated his career to the setting up, including: design, opening and management of Casinos around the world.

Throughout his time in Ireland JJ has also done several Radio, Television and Newspaper interviews on the subject of Casinos and gaming, he is above all extremely passionate about the Casino Industry and Completed a gaming submission to the Irish Government during Legislation Research. He is a leader in respect of the responsibility of customer care He was responsible for the following Casino designs and set ups in Ireland : Macau (Cork), Silks (Dublin). www.atlanticcasinoconsultants.com Email: info@atlanticcasinoconsultants.com

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n 15 July 2013, Alan Shatter TD, Minister for Justice, Equality and Defence, announced government approval for the General Scheme of the Gambling Control Bill 2013. This Bill is a preliminary step towards legislation, which if enacted will provide a significant overhaul of the law in this area and a comprehensive new licensing and regulatory framework for gambling, both land-based and online. It is important to note that the Bill has no legal effect at this stage but it does give us an insight into how the Irish Government is thinking on the whole issue which has been going on since 2006.

The present legislation and existing Act’s are the Betting Act 1931 which applies to bookmaker shops and the Gaming and Lotteries Act 1956.

The Act’s are archaic by any standards and they fall way behind one of the fastest growing industries in

the world.

The Bill deals with both land-based services, such as bookmakers’ premises and gaming arcades, as well as gambling via “remote” services.

Remote gambling is defined as gambling via the Internet.

The proposed new legislation would apply to all forms of gambling made available in the State. It would also apply to those companies which make gambling services available through services located in Ireland, even where these services are not available to Irish players.

The Bill establishes the Office for Gambling Control Ireland (“OGCI”) as the regulator responsible for controlling gambling in Ireland. It would act, under the control of the Minister for Justice and his office as the licensing body for the different categories of licences.

Overview and opinion.

The Bill itself covers all the areas that you would expect with the exception of taxing the Industry, however it has not been thought out and bar a few unique but unworkable suggestions regarding numbers of table games and gaming machines this is overall a dull rollout of what should have been a new exciting and competitive legislation. For this report I have concentrated on the Casino and Slots part of the Bill.

Slot Arcades / Amusement Centres have existed in Ireland for some decades now and originally when operators started to apply for these licenses the Government was concerned that these locations could become ‘’Gambling Dens’’ so in their wisdom they decided to issue these licenses but insisted that the operator offered other forms of amuse-

God Awful Small Affair! ment. The new form became games aimed at children and the result was Candy floss meets hard gaming all under the same roof ! Astonishingly one of the 1st principals of any gaming legislation (to protect the young and vulnerable) was allowed to carry on like this for many years and still does today, So it is no surprise that the Bill needs to address this embarrassing issue and this is part of the new proposed regulation : ’’ Where category 2A (Gaming arcade license) and 2B (Amusement arcade licences are being operated in the same premises there must be separation between the two types of machine (Gaming, Amusement) and there cannot be any connecting passages or doorways (even if locked) between the two facilities’’ In relation to the above it should be remembered that most Arcade / Amusement operators separate to those who operate at Holiday and beach destinations included the children’s amusements to simply gain a license.

Slot Machines and Fobt’s The Government have always been vehemently against Fobt’s and have defined fixed odds betting terminals in the Bill like so : “fixed odds betting terminal” is an electromechanical device that: • allows players to bet high stakes, at a high frequency, on the outcome of various games and events with fixed odds.

• Where the games and events are in virtual format.

• Where the outcome of events is pre-determined by a random number generator.

Generally located on a server separate to where the terminal is located.

It is extraordinary that the Bill takes such a strong stance against Fobt’s because in my opinion this form of gambling has been in Ireland for many years in the guise of Virtual Racing in all Bookmaker Shops, the only difference is that instead of sliding the money into a terminal you simply give the money to a Cashier, everything else works exactly on the same principle that the Bill has outlawed.

Has anyone ever wondered why the Fobt’s have had such bad press? All they have done is highlighted the same addictions of a High Street Arcade. This form of gambling was relatively secretive and carried out in large areas with other forms of Gaming until Fixed odds betting terminals arrived.

Fobt’s are located in much smaller areas, the payouts are bigger and because there is only 4 machines per shop, this attracted a public gallery because people were waiting to use the Machines and in turn created the

curiosity and discussions regarding them, but in truth any form of Gambling that is located in the High Street and is opened during the daytime is highly addictive. If bookmakers stuck to Racing and Sports they would not be experiencing the backlash they are receiving from local council and residents in the UK but neither would they be making the huge profits.

On the other hand if Slot Machines were located in Casinos only and not in the High Street then I believe addiction would be reduced and to a large extent the vulnerable protected. It is also mentioned in the Bill that there may be allowances for Takeaway’s and Bars to have a small number of machines which in my opinion demonstrates a proposed Bill with problems ahead.

The Government cannot ‘’dance around’’ this issue any longer and should look at this opportunity to clean up a mess that has been festering for years and largely because previous Governments ignored the issue and were completely ignorant to the whole Gaming Industry.

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rivate Members Clubs or Casinos started opening in Ireland about ten years ago and today there is approximately 35 Clubs in the country, however it should be noted that the majority of the club’s differ vastly from Casinos worldwide in that they are small and unimpressive in design and lack the excitement and ‘’ wow’’ factor that we associate international casinos with. If you have worked in a grey jurisdiction in the gaming industry you will know the picture that is drawn here.

The Gambling Bill almost applauds their existence stating that there are 34 Clubs registered under the Anti Money laundering Act and goes a stage further by suggesting that the proposed number of casinos to be allowed in Ireland would be 40. Is the Bill suggesting that there are 6 licenses to be allocated as we have 34 Clubs registered? I believe an explanation to this part of the proposed Bill to be critical if Ireland intends to roll out a proper regulated and respected new gaming legislation.

To begin with I and the Gaming world know that Ireland could not possibly sustain 40 Casinos regardless of table and machine size. The Bill proposes that the minimum amount of table games should be three with a maximum set at fifteen tables, so is the Bill already trying to cater for the existing tiny clubs that we already have? And at what cost to the industry and the country’s reputation.

It should be said also that 3 x table Casino operations are normally associated with Countries prior to legislation (operating in a grey area) and keeping their costs to a minimum for fear that they are closed by the authorities. The proposed new

Continued

God Awful Small Affair!

legislation is allowing and promoting this type of Casino!

will talk about visiting a national monument or tourist attraction.

The Bill also proposes that the maximum allocation of slot machines in any Casino building be set at Twenty Five and yet again we have a restrictive policy that has not been properly thought through and most operators would have difficulty building a business model around these proposals. I suppose one does wonder who advised the Government prior to the bill being released because whoever did certainly had no experience in opening casinos or managing them for that matter.

A Casino can be an added facility and attraction at a Horse Racing track or Golf Club and especially when situated in a fine Hotel, they also have a positive effect regarding Tourism, they attract operators and investors which leads to Jobs and formation of other companies who supply to the Industry and in my opinion the Gambling Bill has not recognised the positive side of the Gaming Industry. The Bill is mostly negative and restrictive and at this point would certainly not attract International Interest or Investment to the island.

Summing Up The oral submissions hearings to the Bill were held in October and the people who attended just seemed glad to be there and bar the group who challenged the committee regarding the ban of resort style Casinos there was no other what I would call significant challenge to the Bill.

On that note it is hard to believe that a country that relies on Tourism and is considering entering this exciting world of gaming should kick off with a ban on Resort Style Casinos!

Whilst there is very large resort style Casinos around the world and the one in particular the Government has publicly denounced was certainly on a large scale (Tipperary Project) but we should not forget the message this is sending out to the Gaming World not to mention the definition of Resort Style Casino is a Casino with other leisure activities which could just be an Hotel with spa ,swimming pool etc.

Casinos and the Gaming industry in its entirety is a fast paced exciting business, People will visit a country and talk about an experience they had in a Casino in the same way they

It has been my opinion for some time that the Irish Government just do not get it when it comes to the Gaming Industry and while the industry prospers in other Jurisdictions around the world it is almost scorned here in Ireland or as one ex Taoiseach said to me ‘’nobody has the balls to deal it!”

It is worth mentioning that Ireland started researching the Gaming issue in 2006 (50 yrs after the original gaming act) so that tells us how fast the issue is being dealt with.

The real end game is the Taxing of the industry and bearing in mind that Ireland has ignored this Industry for such a long time hence making us one of the last countries to legislate, (even Cyprus are working on theirs right now) we might well find that to be competitive we may have to offer tax incentives just to get the industry off the ground!

The Bill it its entirety is available on http://www.justice.ie and in my opinion it will have to be revised if Ireland is serious about entering the Gaming Industry.

US GAMING NEWS

California preparing online gambling bill

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alifornia could be the only state this year to go for legalizing online gambling, according to industry watchers the largest and most populous state in the US with over 38 million residents is gaining support from the powerful Indian tribes to push for online gambling this year.

Indeed there is huge anticipation that when the new session of the legislature opens on the 22nd February a bill proposing legalizing online gambling will be presented.

It is thought that with now seven tribes for online gambling the most influential of them all the Pechanga tribe will draft a bill to allow for online poker in the state.

Some close to the proposed bill say that it will contain a no interstate compact, keeping all the 38 million

potential players to themselves.

Also rumoured to include a similar rule on “bad actors” such as Nevada has, removing any applicant that has operated in the US post the UIGEA. Another inclusion will be one online gambling site for each licensee, not multiple sites.

On licensing it is believed that a single license will be $5 million one off payment and tax of 5% of GGR.

away their value cheaply, there will be many watching next week to see if a bill will be presented for online gambling.

Clearly California see the value of their size and do not want to give

Las Vegas Sands struck by internet hackers

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as Vegas Sands had their websites hacked on Tuesday 11th February and were down for the entire day while the companies IT department fought to gain back control from the unknown hackers.

Visitors to the sites received error messages of the operators casino websites of the Venetian casino, the Palazzo casino along with Sands casino in Bethlehem and its properties in the Macau.

Las Vegas Sands spokesman Ron Reese said the company was working with law enforcement to determine who was behind the hacking, and the company was assessing the damage.

FBI spokeswoman Jenny Shearer confirmed that the agency was aware of the problems with the Sands sites, but declined to say whether the FBI had launched an

investigation. Las Vegas police spokesman Larry Hadfield said he was not aware of the issue.

Before the websites were removed completely by Sands there featured a picture of Sands CEO Sheldon Adelson posing with Israel Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and a message condemning the use of weapons of mass destruction placed there by the hackers.

Observers say the attack could be linked to Mr Adelson’s comments late last year regarding Iran when he said that dropping a nuclear bomb on the country, saying strength was the only thing the country understands.

During a forum at Yeshiva University in New York City, he imagined what might happen if the U.S. began negotiations over the country’s nuclear program by launching a strike on the Iranian desert.

US GAMING NEWS

Las Vegas Sands to leave AGA

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heldon Adelson has given his biggest hint yet that his Las Vegas Sands company will leave the American Gaming Association (AGA) because of the opposing positions towards online gambling in the US. In an interview with Politico writer Jon Ralston Adelson said “he is considering withdrawing from the organization (AGA) … You must understand, I don’t want our dues going to hurt our society.” Meaning his new opposition group set up to oppose online gambling growth in the US called the “Coalition to Stop Internet Gambling.”

The iGaming Post has said for several months that Adelson’s company will have to leave the AGA because of their huge divide on the issue. Also on the interview with Jon Ralston Adelson aimed his anger at competitor casino operator Caesars Entertainment who is a leading supporter of online gambling with the AGA by saying, “you know, the old expression, ‘If you’re so smart, why ain’t you rich? If they’re so smart, why aren’t they successful? I’ll tell you the truth: I don’t think they know what they’re doing.”

This was aimed at the debt mountain of $24 billion Cae-

sars carries and at their CEO Gary Loveman which mow looks like to all who follows the online gambling debate in the US is turning into a Adelson vs Loveman battle.

Adelson a self confessed non-user of computers and certainly a hater of email, has a quirk in his background because the road to success and riches for the 80 year old is that he once operated a computer trade expo that netted him billions when he sold it in 1995, helping him then to buy into the casino business in Las Vegas.

However on Loveman’s side is former Las Vegas Mayor and who now works for Caesars, Jan Jones Blackhurst who attacked Adelson by saying “he is pandering to fear rather than using facts, Sheldon is not a stupid man,” she said. “He’s just stupid on this issue.”

It’s not now a question of “if” but when will Las Vegas Sands leave the AGA, battle lines are drawn and Adelson has sworn to spend as much as it takes to stop online gambling, however many believe his best hope is to slow the progress of states legalising rather than going back into prohibition again.

ARTICLE

Casino Customer Service Lessons From An Amazon.com Email Our feature writer Martin Baird in his February article looks at how Amazon has shown the fledgling online gambling industry in the US how to work proper customer service.

By Martin R. Baird

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he subject line in a recent email I received certainly caught my attention: “For Ninth Consecutive Year, Customers Rank Amazon #1 in Customer Satisfaction.”

Since customer service is my area of expertise, I just had to read this missive. And I was pleasantly surprised.

Then again, maybe I shouldn’t have been. This was about Amazon, after all. You know, the online company that has upended the retail market and changed our lives forever. Let’s say I had to smile when I found three excellent lessons for casinos in the email. Lessons that will help them meet the competition head-on.

The message was from Amazon, but the ranking and the lessons behind it came from the “ForeSee Experience Index: U.S. Retail Edition” released in December.

Amazon merely quoted from the index and I am happy to pass along those quotes here for the benefit of the gaming industry.

“Consumers’ expectations are constantly rising, and Amazon has shown it can keep pace.” Rising consumer expectations are nothing new, but technology is making this a slippery slope for casinos, and properties that don’t keep up are headed for the dinosaur bone heap.

Simply put, casinos are doing business in the age of the customer and technology has put consumers in the driver’s seat.

Customers are empowered because they have a wealth of information at their fingertips. The Internet, tablets and smartphones have conspired to make it fairly easy for prospective casino guests to decide whether they

play at XYZ Casino or ABC Casino – or do something else for entertainment. There is a plethora of reviews on the Web about guests’ gaming experiences at just about every casino. Thinking of going to XYZ but you find a terrible comment about the casino’s customer service? Well then, check out ABC. Oops, some unflattering comments there as well. No worries, a quick scan of what’s showing at a nearby movie theater solves the problem. It is suddenly movie night, not casino night.

Technology has demolished the traditional customer feedback model. Guests no longer complain to the casino about a problem. They simply rant on Yelp. Trust me, lots of people read these reviews.

There are two ways casinos can keep pace with increasingly sophisticated and demanding customers. First and foremost, don’t give guests a reason to complain.

Give them a gaming experience and customer service that knocks their socks off. This gives guests a reason to post positive reviews. Second, acknowledge that there is no such thing as a perfect world and use the same technology to turn the tables in your favor. Try as you might, mistakes will occasionally happen on the casino floor or at the property’s restaurant or resort. Technology exists that allows guests to use their tablet or smartphone to provide the casino with real-time feedback when something goes wrong. It’s entirely possible that the problem can be fixed before the guest even leaves the property. No need for a nasty Yelp post.

“Amazon is not resting on its laurels and waiting for competitors to catch up.”

ARTICLE

improvement.

For decades, companies have paid lip service to the notion that their employees are their most valuable asset. Turn that into an action item. After all, employees deliver the service and gaming experience that keep guests coming back. Give employees training that does more than help them do a better job of providing stellar service. Give them training that challenges them and makes them grow. They should emerge from training with more than a new set of skills. They should walk onto the casino floor fired up and changed for the better. Customers will notice and they will like what they see.

(Continued) This is true. Amazon has been an innovative company from the first day it went online and it is still a trail blazer. Casinos must do the same. Fierce competition demands it.

I’m not saying all casinos must innovate, although that would be interesting. They do need to move forward and anticipate all challenges. They can’t sit and do nothing.

For example, in 2013, online gaming became a reality in the U.S. on a limited scale. For American casinos that don’t offer this kind of play, online gaming is a potentially serious competitor. Why would guests go to the trouble of traveling to your property and burn expensive gas when they can play from the comfort of their home?

This is where an excellent gaming experience comes to the rescue. A casino with great service, top-notch employees and a dynamic atmosphere can convince guests to hop in the car. Customers simply cannot get that kind of experience on their computer. But the experience must exist in the first place. Casinos that lack this competitive edge need to get cracking.

Here’s another way to be proactive. Determine your service gap. That’s the difference between the kind of service management wants to provide and the kind of service that is actually offered. Take a critical look at both the current quality of service and the service goals.

Once the gap is identified, it becomes as a baseline for

“Amazon is a perfect example and is truly setting a new bar for an excellent customer experience.” Experience is the word that says it all for casinos. People go to casinos to have a good time and forget about the world for a while. Casinos are entertainment. They are an entertainment EXPERIENCE. Everything that happens to guests while they are on the casino floor contributes to the experience. If they eat at the buffet or spend the night at the resort, that counts, too. It all matters and it all comes together to create an experience. So what kind of experience do you offer your customers?

There you have it, three lessons for surviving in today’s brutally competitive gaming market – meeting the demands of constantly rising customer expectations, staying ahead of competitors and creating the ultimate gaming experience.

Martin R. Baird Bio

Or Read on App Store

Martin R. Baird is chief executive officer of Robinson & Associates, Inc., a Boise, Idaho-based consulting firm to the global gaming industry that is dedicated to helping casinos improve their guest service so they can compete and generate future growth and profitability. Robinson & Associates is the world leader in casino guest experience measurement, management and improvement. For more information, visit the company’s Web sites at http://casinocustomerservice.com and www.advocatedevelopmentsystem.com or contact the company at 208-991-2037. Robinson & Associates is a member of the Casino Management Association and an associate member of the National Indian Gaming Association.

AUSTRALIA GAMING NEWS

New Report says Australians lose the most James Packer on internet and China investments

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new report by the Economist says that Australians gamble more and lose more than any other country in the World.

According to the report Australians top the list with losses of $1144 per person “Gambling is just like eucalyptus oil – it’s natural,” said Tim Costello, chairman of the Australian Churches Gambling Taskforce.

The biggest reason for the losses say anti-gambling campaigners are poker machines, which they say Australia has the highest concentration of poker machines in the world.

With the biggest clusters being in disadvantaged areas along the east coast, fuelling domestic violence, crime and mental illness, campaigners claim.

British consultancy firm H2 Gambling Capital

said that Australians on average lose about $520 on non-casino based poker machines last year.

The independent senator Nick Xenophon said the figures were an “urgent wake-up call” for politicians.

“Let’s not forget that, with pokies, 40% of losses come from problem gamblers, with five to 10 people affected by each problem gambler,” he said.

Xenophon is renewing his push for maximum $1 bets on poker machines with hourly losses capped at $120, in line with recommendations of the 2010 parliamentary joint select committee on gambling reform.

“State and territory governments in Australia derive an average 10% or more of their taxation revenue from legalised gambling,” he said.

James Packer has no intention of slowing down his pursuit of fortune with his latest interview with Forbes the billionaire Australian who has casinos in both Australia, Macau and soon to be Philippines and Sri Lanka, sees opportunities to expand his interests both in gambling and internet, which he says are his two main business activities now.

The magazine quotes Mr Packer as saying: “At a very macro level there are two main themes for me – the rise of the Internet and the rise of China.”

Apart from his involvement as partner with Lawrence Ho in Melco Crown Entertainment and his own Crown Entertainment in Australia Mr Packer says he has already invested $500 million in various internet businesses, which includes a Chinese jobs website in Zhaopin.

It seems that Mr Packer has an eye for promising business ventures and 2014 will see the billionaire only rise even further with his casino resort and internet plans.

INTERNATIONAL GAMING NEWS

Decision on second Sydney casino due in March Sri Lanka approves James Packer development

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ames Packer and his Crown Resorts casino company will know if their application for a second casino in Sydney will be given a license within 3 months.

The Independent Liquor and Gaming Authority (ILGA) made newspaper adverts this week to call for submissions on the suitability of James Packer and Crown in opening a new casino in Harbour side Barangaroo.

The casino development should it receive clearance will be a VIP only casino costing Crown around $1.3 billion.

The state’s Casino Control Act requires that any holder of a casino licence has to be regarded by the ILGA as a “suitable person”.

Echo Entertainment which runs the only casino in Sydney at present recently applied to develop and extend the Star Casino, but was refused by the NSW government.

Russian PM denies Sochi gambling zone The Russian Prime Minister has come out and denied reports linking him with a proposal for a gambling zone in Socihi, the Black Sea city resort which will form part of the Winter Olympics for 2014.

Rumours and news reports swirled around on Thursday 18th December saying that Dmitry Medvedev had made the suggestion that Sochi should be allowed to become another gambling zone to help ease the cost of hosting the Winter Olympics which is now expected to come in at a cost of $50 billion for Russia, the most expensive winter games ever.

“The premier did not suggest the idea of creating a gambling zone in Sochi; the idea was suggested by someone in the banking community,” press secretary Natalia Timakova said.

The Sri Lankan government has approved James Packer’s $400 million leisure complex in the country, but currently without permission to build or operate a casino. The government have also approved another 2 similar projects both of them also without allowing for casinos.

However, Crown’s chief, gambling tycoon James Packer, would still be able to operate a casino in his mixed-development project through his local partner, the minister said.

“The applications are for mixed development projects, which include convention centre, shopping malls, and five-star hotels,” Mustapha told Reuters.

“This gazette notification has no mention about a casino anywhere. So it doesn’t deal with running a casino, operating a casino, or approving a casino.”

So Mr Packer and Crown Entertainment along with the 2 other accepted proposals will have to partner up with local businesses to be allowed to run a casino under the 2010 government legislation for casinos.

US GAMING NEWS

Galaxy Entertainment Group Receives Two Prestigious Accolades

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alaxy Entertainment Group Received Two Prestigious Accolades at the International Gaming Awards.

Casino Operator of the Year Australia/Asia andOutstanding Contribution Award for Dr. Lui Che-woo, Chairman of GEG Galaxy Entertainment Group Limited won two distinguished awards at the prestigious International Gaming Awards ceremony held at The Savoy Hotel in London on 3 February 2014. The Group was named Casino Operator of the Year Australia/Asia for the third year running and in addition, Dr. Lui Chewoo, Chairman of Galaxy Entertainment Group was awarded the Outstanding Contribution Award.

Dr. Lui Che-woo, Chairman of GEG, said: “It is a great honour for Galaxy Entertainment Group, and for me personally as an Asian entrepreneur, to receive two awards from

our esteemed international industry peers. The Group has achieved a great deal in a relatively short timeframe since being founded in 2002, and its tremendous success stems from seamlessly combining gaming and non-gaming elements under one roof to create a new, exciting, and all-encompassing leisure and entertainment experience for visitors.

Being recognised as the Casino Operator of the Year Australia/ Asia is a great endorsement of our vision, and a fitting tribute to our high quality management team and the commitment of our 16,000 team members who work tirelessly every day to deliver our ‘World Class, Asian Heart’ service standard to each and every guest.

As our business grows, sharing our success with the Macau and Hong Kong communities is becoming ever more important. During 2013 GEG implemented a number of

diverse community and volunteering initiatives through its dedicated ‘GEG Volunteer Team’ who contributed many hours of community services. We also made donations to many charitable organisations and people in Macau, Hong Kong and Mainland China.

Looking ahead, we will continue to ensure that our ‘World Class, Asian Heart’ service philosophy, which draws on providing visitors with a combination of the best hospitality practices and standards from both the West and the East, permeates GEG’s properties, products, services and people. We are currently about half way through the construction of Galaxy MacauTM Phase 2, and will soon commence the construction of Phases 3 and 4. These awards are a great testament to the progress we have made towards our ultimate goal to be ‘globally recognised as Asia’s leading gaming and entertainment corporation’.”

EUROPEAN GAMING NEWS

Aspers confirm bid interest in Southampton Aspers Corwned European Casino Operator The Aspers Group were named European Casino Operator of the Year at the 7th International Gaming Awards Ceremony on the 3rd February (pic left).

The award is the first time the UK based operator has won the title, last year the company won Soically Responsible Operator.

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spers Casino Group have officially confirmed that they will tender an offer for the large casino license available in Southampton. The recently crowned European Casino Operator of the Year has shown interest in Southampton for several years without confirming their intent to apply for the license.

However COO Richard Noble has now announced that the firm will bid for the license to operate the casino in the £330 million new development on the site of the Royal Pier.

The company already operates the only other two operational large casino licenses in the UK and is now preparing to draw up licensing application for a third in Southampton, which is expected to create hundreds of jobs as part of the huge development for the Royal Pier.

It is expected after more than ten years of previous proposed developments for the derelict site that the current plan by developed Morgan Sindall will be approved by the local council and building could start as early as 2015 with Aspers filing their application later this year.

The development will feature a luxury hotel, restaurants, marina, bars, retail outlets, apartments along with the casino.

Southampton is one of eight towns in the UK that was allowed to have a large casino license under the previous government, allowing the casino to have up to 150

slots with jackpots of £4,000 and a maximum of 30 gaming tables.

Aspers’ chief operating officer, Richard Noble, said: “Although it is still in early stages, I can confirm that Aspers has a strong interest in the plans for the Royal Pier development in Southampton.

“We have been monitoring this redevelopment opportunity for several years and believe that the modern leisure facilities and the socially responsible gaming commitment we deliver to local communities would be a great fit for the Southampton area.

“We are very proud to have delivered the only two operational large licence casinos in the UK and feel that our track record of delivering exceptional venues, creating local jobs and supporting community initiatives shows exactly what we could deliver for Southampton.”

The company operates both Stratford and Milton Keynes with Large Casino licenses, the only two currently in the UK and it is understood that the Southampton casino would be around 36,000sq ft, similar in size to Milton Keynes, Stratford is almost double that with 65,000dq ft of gaming space.

Planning permission for the whole development must be approved prior to any casino application, formal approval is hoped to be granted later in 2014, but the casino application process could be some 3 to 4 years later.

US GAMING NEWS

Steve Wynn says he is against online gambling again

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teve Wynn cannot decide if online gambling is a good thing or not, his company has received the transactional waiver by the New Jersey Division of Gaming Enforcement only recently that means his Wynn Interactive business can now offer online gambling in the state, but in a recent interview on the Jon Ralston show the casino mogul said he was against online gambling!

His latest swing back against online gambling has sent shockwaves through the US fledgling internet industry, so Wynn Interactive is now in a hold pattern with New Jersey and left all concerned to wonder what is next in the battle for online gambling minds in the US. Should anyone be surprised thou about Wynn’s latest change of mind? In 2009 the Las Vegas Sun reported that Wynn was against

online gambling, quoting him as saying, “Internet gambling can’t be adequately policed and could embarrass the industry.”

But two years later he moved into pro-online with his comments in the LA Times saying, “we are convinced that the lack of regulation of Internet gaming within the U.S. must change,” said Steve Wynn, chairman and chief executive officer of the company. “We must recognize that this activity is occurring and that law enforcement does not have the tools to stop it…. It is time that the thousands of jobs created by this business and the potentially significant tax dollars come home to the U.S.” That was followed up with a verbal agreement with the World’s largest online poker operator, PokerStars to partner into the US, but that was quickly dropped after indictments

came against PokerStars in April 2011.

It is clear the man that is one of the most influential and prolific casino owners has not clearly decided and sways from position to position as in his interview with Ralston by saying, “It’s possible it could change,” with Ralston prefacing the quote with his own statement that “Wynn says his newfound position on web gaming is not immutable…”

What may be on the casino moguls mind is the profit margins, only New Jersey has any real numbers but with strong competition there what profit is in online gambling currently? Or is it that he fears an effect to his land based operations?

Only Mr Wynn knows, but at present it seems not even he does?

INFORMATION

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