Inside Asian Gaming

INSIDE ASIAN GAMING | August 2011 28 T he history of commerce has many examples of young people rising to success by challenging the old guard and revolutionising the business model in an industry. A new-generation Macau junket operator is attempting to do that in the Macau casino industry. The operator—Goldenway—has a two-pronged approach. First, it wants to move Macau VIP business to a cash rather than credit model. Second, it wants to shift the method by which VIPs are recruited to online marketing via a dedicated website. Use of a website for junket marketing is not new. Most of the Macau junkets have an online presence. What does seem to be new is that Goldenway is seeking to recruit its players primarily via a web portal, without the supporting use of agents, though it has customer service agents online and a customer relationship team to work with the players when they arrive at the casino. Goldenway recently opened a new VIP room at SJM’s Grand Lisboa flagship in downtown Macau, where members of the management team explained their approach to Inside Asian Gaming. “Our management structure is modern and a long way from the traditional image of Macau junket management and gangsters, etc. It’s about creating new channels and a new environment for the guests,” says Jerry Tse, one of the Goldenway executive team. “We strongly believe this model—the cash model for VIP play—will help to improve the image of Macau and help a lot Cover Story Junket.com A new generation Macau VIP operator is recruiting high rollers online— on a cash, not credit basis ‘May we help you?’—Goldenway, the first Macau junket to choose mainly online recruitment of VIP players