Gaming Report: APT Confirms Taiwan & Da Nang Stops, Deltin Group Inaugurates Nepal Casino & More

Gaming Report
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  • RUPAM THAKUR February 21, 2020
  • 4 Minutes Read

The Coronavirus outbreak created havoc throughout Asia, with 76,790 cases and 2,247 casualties having been reported over the course of nearly two months. The deadly virus has not only impacted lives, but travel bans and forced shutdowns imposed by governments have also affected many businesses, among them, was the gaming industry. Many Asia-facing series were either canceled or postponed; however, the silver lining through the darks clouds peaked out recently with the Asian Poker Tour (APT) confirming that its Taiwan stop will play out as scheduled from March 4 to 15, while the APT Da Nang in Vietnam will also be taking place without any changes to its roster.

Moreover, the casinos in Macau that had been shut down for 15 days, following the outbreak, also commenced operations from February 19, with several regulations being implemented by the casino operators to ensure the safety of their patrons.

On February 8, Deltin Group inaugurated its very first international venture, the Deltin Casino at The Marriott Hotel in Kathmandu. It has employed nearly 250 locals after six months of training to meet the casino’s standards of service provision.

On February 18, the Maryland Senate passed a bill that would allow the state legislature to expand gambling laws without the consent of the voters. The Senate Bill (SB) 325 was passed by an overwhelming 46-1 margin.

 

Asian Poker Tour Confirms Stops in Taiwan and Da Nang on Track

The coronavirus epidemic has taken the world by storm over the past few months. With the first case of the virus being confirmed in December last year in the Wuhan province in China, the infection since then has claimed over 2,000 lives to-date. The outbreak has negatively impacted several industries, specifically in the Asian continent, with the gaming industry also taking a severe hit.

Since January news of casinos shutting down in Macao and series, like the APL, WPT, and Triton Poker Series, canceling and postponing their live events have come through. Though the coronavirus is still a significant concern for the global society, it seems that the efforts put in to contain the infection has been successful to a certain degree.

Asian Poker Tour 2020 Taiwan
Asian Poker Tour 2020 Taiwan

 

Just as the Macau casinos opened their doors yesterday to limited crowds after 15 days of closure, the Asian Poker Tour (APT) has also confirmed that its upcoming stop in Taiwan will carry on as per schedule but with some amendments. The planned APT Da Nang series in Vietnam will also be hosted without any changes.

The Taiwan stop scheduled from March 4-15 will be hosted in Taipei. Still, the organizers have decided to withhold all the guarantees, and its flagship Main Event will feature only two starting flights instead of the initially announced three flights.

According to the APT CEO Jeff Mann, there will be daily health check-ups organized by Chinese Texas Hold ’em Poker Club (CTP Club) all through the series. He further affirmed that both domestic and international players were looking forward to the stop.

Meanwhile, the APT Da Nang stop will be hosted by the Risemount Premier Resort from April 7-18, featuring 23 events. According to APT General Manager Lloyd Fontillas, currently, no changes have been made to the schedule or guarantees. The specific guarantee of the series is yet to be announced by APT.

But that’s not all! Earlier today, Executive Managing Director of APL, James Kim, announced that after canceling the APL Da Nang that was slated to run from February 19 to 28 at the Risemount Premier Resort, the brand will be hosting the APL in Taipei, Taiwan. While the complete dates for the series have not been released yet, the Main Event is scheduled to take place from April 21 to 27. Other APL stops in Hanoi (Main Event – May 8 to 16) and Taipei (Main Event – August 11 to 17) are also expected to be on track. The second stop in Hanoi will be hosted in September, while a series is scheduled to take place in Da Nang in December.

 

Deltin Group Inaugurates Its First International Casino at the Marriot Hotel in Nepal

On February 8, India’s only listed gaming company, Delta Corp’s subsidiary, Deltin Group, inaugurated its very first international venture, Deltin Casino at The Marriott Hotel in Kathmandu.

The launch of the new casino comes over two years after the company made public the news that it was signing an MoU for leasing space from the Everest Hospitality and Hotels Private Limited to operate a casino in the then under-construction Marriott property.

Marriott Hotel
Marriott Hotel

 

This new venture will increase the company’s top line by ₹60-70 crore per annum with an EBITDA margin of 40% revealed the company in an investor call. In addition to the monetary benefits to the company, the casino will also provide more significant opportunities to attract foreign direct investments (FDI) that will help the growth of Nepal’s economy and open the Nepalese market to newer possibilities in the entertainment business.

The casino will also help the Nepal government in its ‘Visit Nepal Year 2020’ program. The ‘Visit Nepal Year 2020’ program aims to upscale the image of Nepal as a tourism destination and encourage inbound international tourism arrivals. The campaign hopes to contribute 10% of the total revenue of the country even beyond 2020, along with more employment opportunities in the country and an increase in infrastructure investments!

The campaign plans to develop mountain biking trails in the deepest gorge in the world in Kaligandaki, developing a pilgrimage circuit involving the major religious sites like Devghat, Pashupatinath, and Muktinath, among others as well as organizing various events and arts festivals.

According to reports, the casino has employed nearly 250 locals as employees who have been trained for six months under international supervision to meet the casino’s standards of service provision.

Talking on the launch of the company’s Nepal Casino, the President, and CEO of Deltin Group, Anil Malani, said, “We believe that compliance and ethics is an integral aspect to our business and so we are happy to join hands with Everest Hospitality and Hotel Pvt Ltd owners of the Marriott Hotel, as both our companies share common values professionalism and excellence in service; our shared values and parallel vision reassures that our business is in safe hands here in Nepal.”

 

Macau Casinos Plan to Restart Operations as Per Demand

On February 19, casinos in Macau opened their doors for service after nearly two weeks of being shut down due to the coronavirus outbreak. However, with the threat of the virus not completely gone, the gaming floors were sparsely populated, with the few gamblers on hand sitting far apart under strict new measures to guard against the spread of the coronavirus.

After a 15-day mandatory shutdown, 29 establishments were open to service at 12 AM sharp on Wednesday. The latest regulations that casinos have implemented include temperature checks, the compulsory wearing of masks, and the submission of health declarations via mobile phone.

Macau Casinos
Macau Casinos

 

While no new Covid-19 cases have been reported since the order to close the casinos was given on February 4, after a hotel worker fell ill, the mood for gaming has not yet returned. With gaming and tourism being two of the most important industries in Macau, the infection has had quite an impact on the region’s economy.

The vast majority of Macau’s tourists are mainland Chinese travelers, drawn to the city’s casinos. As the only place in China where casinos are allowed, Macau’s gambling houses account for about 80% of government revenue. But arrivals tanked as the outbreak spread.

Authorities said casinos that don’t want to reopen because of low tourist numbers could apply to extend the closure, but they must be up and running within 30 days. Macau’s government has been keen to ensure the casinos keep employing staff through the downturn and are trying to avoid lay-offs.

Meanwhile, the labor groups for casino employees have shown their concerns about potential safety risks for the staff. The head of the New Macau Gaming Staff Rights Association, Cloee Chao called the move “irresponsible,” and told the media that, “Reopening casinos is just increasing the instances of people going around and gathering, especially for the [casino] staff that are catching their companies’ shuttles and eating at canteens.”

 

Maryland Senate Passes Bill That Will Expedite Legalized Sports Betting

On February 18, the Maryland Senate passed a bill that would allow the state legislature to expand gambling laws without the consent of the voters.

Senate Bill (SB) 325 was passed by an overwhelming 46-1 margin. The bill would alter the state’s constitution so that any gambling legislation passed by legislators would not need to go to a state-wide referendum this November.

Maryland Senate
Maryland Senate

 

In 2007, when the legislature legalized casinos, it included a requirement that any subsequent expansion or alteration to the state’s gambling laws be approved by voters at a referendum. This would have slowed down the process of legalizing sports betting in Maryland.

At the start of the New Year, Republican Senate Chris West had pre-filed SB 58 that seeks to legalize sports betting at Maryland’s casinos. West’s bill is yet to pass, but in the meantime, Democratic Senate Craig Zucker initiated a sports betting bill (SB 4).

Zucker’s SB 4 was also discussed at a hearing by the same Senate Budget and Taxation Committee, and a vote on it is expected to take place later this month. If both SB 4 and SB 325 become law, the government would be able to move faster on sports betting legalization in the state and start the implementation process sooner.

Republican Governor Larry Hogan said he would be willing to take a look at a sports gambling bill. But he noted that the projected revenues of about $21 million per year from betting would barely make a dent in what the state will need to fund its education program.

He added: “We’re going to need a lot more than sports gambling,”

The Ways and Means Committee will hear and vote on the bill (SB 325) on Thursday before sending it to the floor for a formal vote. If it passes the house, it will head to the Governor’s desk to be signed into law.

 

Resorts World Las Vegas Ties Exclusive Gaming Deal With Konami

Resorts World Las Vegas (RWLV) has announced an exclusive gaming deal with Konami Gaming, Inc., gaming systems manufacturer, and a subsidiary of gaming equipment.

Konami announced the new deal in a press release on February 19.

Konami Gaming
Konami Gaming

 

As a result of the agreement, Konami’s award-winning system, ‘SYNKROS,’ will now streamline, manage, and optimize the resort’s US$4.3 billion gaming operations by converting meaningful data into actionable information.

The system will provide Resorts World Las Vegas with marketing, communications, and tracking tools designed to increase player engagement and simultaneously will work to enhance player experience through cashless wagering, mobile account management, and loyalty and bonus awards.

The system will also assess and optimize real-time casino performance through detailed reporting and visual analytics and will manage accounting, slot, and table operations, among other capabilities.

Elaborating further on this, the President of Resorts World Las Vegas, Scott Sibella said, “Reinventing the hospitality experience in Las Vegas means enhancing our service measures and boosting customer engagement through every touch point of the Resorts World Las Vegas experience, including gaming.”

Through this partnership with Konami and the implementation of SYNKROS, we will have the ability to connect with players in real-time to provide the most cutting-edge, personalized gaming experience on the Las Vegas Strip,” he added.

Executive Vice President & Chief Commercial Officer at Konami Gaming, Inc., Tom Jingoli said, “The opening of Resorts World Las Vegas will bring a wave of leading-edge technology, convenience, and amenities to guests, in ways that are absolutely historic for Las Vegas and the larger global gaming community.”

“For years, Konami’s SYNKROS has worked to deliver guest experiences at the forefront of innovation, so the chance to create new heights of engagement and entertainment for future Resorts World patrons truly resonates with our shared, enduring vision. The work of Scott Sibella and his team has made an exciting impression on the space, and we greatly anticipate this addition to the world-famous Las Vegas Strip.”

Scheduled to open in the summer of 2021, Resorts World Las Vegas will be the first resort on the Las Vegas Strip to integrate the full suite of tools available through SYNKROS’s comprehensive enterprise software license throughout the 110,000-square-foot, next-generation casino floor.

 

Sports Betting Launch in Tennessee Delayed

This week, the Tennessee Sports Wagering Advisory Council meeting of nine appointees confirmed that the sports betting will be delayed due to necessary revisions in the draft rules. The operations may not start until late summer and maybe in time for the 2020 college football and NFL seasons.

Sports Betting in Tennessee
Sports Betting in Tennessee

 

The council discussed several controversial rules, including the 85% cap on payouts, and according to reports, the cap may be revised to 90%, which should be welcomed by the industry stakeholders and sports bettors. Another change is about a rule that makes a parlay card a loss if one leg is a tie, which essentially means that the house wins. In cases of Nevada and New Jersey, a tie on a parlay makes that leg null, odds are revised, and the parlay goes on.

Councilmember Tom Lee said, “I am encouraged we are making progress. I wish we hadn’t been so delayed, but that is now past. What counts is what we do next, and I am convinced the time we take in the next sixty days to get this right will be worth it for players, licensees, and the state.

Unlike other states, there are no casinos or gaming commission in Tennessee, and the matter is being handled by the Tennessee Education Lottery Corporation (TELC), which is yet to start the application process.

The council also discussed revising licensing fees and the proposed rule that gives a month to TELC to review marketing and advertising campaigns.

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