Inside Asian Gaming

November 2017 inside asian gaming 15 events. Obviously, having a platform such as MGS and being able to do better in providing a better show, other businesses – not just in gaming – were able to participate in order to understand the Macau market better and also to cooperate and work with different suppliers and service providers. Right now our members include not just gaming machine manufacturers, but also companies working in the creative industries, arts and culture and even local souvenirs. I’d say that, right now, the MGEMA doesn’t only represent companies catering to the gaming industry – it represents the whole “Made in Macau” image. BB: Has the structure and/or membership of the MGEMA changed much over the past five years? JC: The number of our members has been growing over the past five years and companies from other industries have joined. This is a wonderful change that we have seen in the structure and membership of the MGEMA. BB: The gaming industry in Macau has endured some considerable ups and downs in recent years. What has been the main focus of the MGEMA over the past 12 months given that the local industry has enjoyed a pretty good run in that time? JC: We, like many other businesses in Macau, were working very hard through the “bad” times which, fortunately, didn’t last long. We obviously believe in Macau and believe in the Macau story in the long term – and just like any other jurisdictions or simply any other companies, there will always be ups and downs. Cover Story mediocre. We wanted to do the best we could, so all such advice became really important for us in the early days. As a relatively new organization and one of the very few entities looking after the interests of gaming-related industries and businesses, we had to work hard to prove ourselves too so that people would have confidence that we could do a good job in initiatives such as MGS by offering them sound business opportunities. BB: Has MGEMA fulfilled the vision you originally set or has its role changed from earlier expectations? JC: Our aim since the MGEMA’s inception was to promote the “Made in Macau” brand and to ensure that our members were provided with business opportunities locally and outside of Macau. As a pioneer of the “Made in Macau” brand, the MGEMA has always strived to raise the international reputation of the Macau business community and to help its 200 members increase their market share through wider trading opportunities. Over the past year, the MGEMA has done a great job in providing its members with additional opportunities for business exchange and learning from experts from other countries and jurisdictions. BB: Can you explain a bit about not only what the MGEMA does as a gaming industry representative but also how it does so? JC: Over the years, from when we started until today, the MGEMA has had members from many different walks of life, as you will be able to see from the participation in last year’s and this year’s MGS