Inside Asian Gaming

inside asian gaming september 2016 48 Asian Gaming POWER 50 2 0 1 6 Having enjoyed steady growth since its formation in 2003, with gaming interests in Nepal, Vietnam, Laos and Cambodia, it seems the long-term future of Silver Heritage rests on the Nepal/ India border. The only foreign operator to be granted a gaming license since ownership rules were relaxed less than two years ago, Silver Heritage has already begun construction of the five-star Tiger Palace Resort in Bhairahawa – due to open early next year and the first of two resorts planned for the region. In their sights is the untapped Indian market, with the company noting, “Over 430 million Indians live within a day’s drive of the Nepal border and entry to and exit from Nepal is visa-free for Indian nationals.” Under the watchful eye of co-founder Mike Bolsover, Silver Heritage began listing on the Australian Securities Exchange after it launched an AU$25 million IPO in August, aiming to raise around AU$50 million to put towards the completion of Tiger Palace Resort. The company already has strong ties to Nepal, having secured approval from the government in January 2015 to run the Shangri-La casino at the Shangri-La Hotel & Resort in Kathmandu. Mike Bolsover MANAGING DIRECTOR AND CEO Silver Heritage Ltd Power 567 last 32 Score year Claims to fame Co-founder of Silver Heritage Long history of operating small to mid-sized casinos in Southeast Asia Took the company public with recent IPO 47 Lee Ki-woo PRESIDENT AND CEO Grand Korea Leisure Power 561 last – Score year Claims to fame Runs one of Korea’s leading operators of foreigners-only casinos Previously served at the Korean Consulate General in Canada and the Korean Embassy in the US 48