Inside Asian Gaming

inside asian gaming september 2016 34 Asian Gaming POWER 50 2 0 1 6 It is no secret that Macau’s VIP sector has copped the brunt of the pain felt by tumbling revenues in Asia’s gaming capital over the past two years. With GGR down almost 50%, the inevitable consequence has been the widespread closures of many smaller junkets across the city with the number of licensed operators falling from 217 to 141 between January 2014 and January 2016. But Macau’s “Big 3” junkets – Suncity, Neptune Group and Tak Chun – have wasted no time in seizing the opportunity with their combined market share having risen from around 50% to 80% during the same period. Tak Chun boss Levo Chan has been the driving force behind his Group’s strategy in this regard, noting the company had decided The opening of the $4.2 billion Wynn Palace has presented Linda Chen with another acknowledged masterpiece of a resort to work with in Macau. When it comes to luxury, elegance and sheer beauty, consensus is the Palace has no peer in the gaming world. But how do you make that work in a market when demand at the Levo Chan CHAIRMAN AND CEO Tak Chun Group Power 1,025 last – Score year Claims to fame A Macau junket veteran, having started in the 1990s before liberalization Opened first VIP room in StarWorld, the StarWorld Tak Chun VIP Club, in 2007 26 Linda Chen EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR AND COO Wynn Macau Power 997 last 16 Score year Claims to fame Go-to person for marketing and strategic development of Wynn Macau since inception Native Chinese with deep experience in international marketing 27 to ramp up operations rather than winding them down when the squeeze came. “Take the current situation of Macau’s gaming industry as an example,” he said recently. “Macau’s gaming industry has now declined compared with a few years ago. Faced with this dilemma, many VIP Clubs chose to reduce business to remain in operation but Tak Chun hasn’t reduced its business, instead we have set up new VIP Clubs in Altira and Galaxy II – constantly expanding our offering.” Tak Chun also appears to be shifting its Macau focus towards Cotai, suspending operations at MGMMacau in preparation of a move to the Parisian. Last month it opened a new room at Wynn Palace featuring 15 VIP tables and will soon open another at nearby Studio City.