Inside Asian Gaming

Market Outlook I n the six years since Inside Asian Gaming was founded, the magazine has written at length and depth about the nuts and bolts of the Asian casino industry. Although some regard IAG as more ‘technical’ than other industry publications, we have a simple aim in mind—clear story-telling with an educational angle. Our hope is that regardless of a reader’s background knowledge about the regional industry, he or she can pick up a copy of IAG and understand the stories and where they fit into the multiple business models of the Asian casino sector. “Knowledge is power” wrote the 17th century philosopher Thomas Hobbes. The counterpoint to that is “ignorance is bliss”—a viewpoint presented by the poet Thomas Gray writing a century later. But unless you’re a person of poetic sensibilities or don’t have a business to run or a family to feed, then Asian Gaming 101 In the first of a two-part essay, respected US-based gaming journalist James Rutherford discusses the key features of the red-hot Macau and Singapore casino markets Table 1. Taken from ‘Playing toWin:The outlook for the casino and online gaming market to 2014’, published by global services company PwC in January 2011 Casino Gaming Market (US$ millions) 2010-14 Asia Pacific 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 CAGR Australia 2,052 2,230 2,488 2,640 2,697 2,769 2,847 2,944 3,050 3,159 3.2 Hong Kong NA NA NA NA NA NA NA NA NA - India NA NA NA NA NA NA NA NA NA - Indonesia NA NA NA NA NA NA NA NA NA - Japan - - - - - - - - 107 - Macau 5769 7094 10401 13627 14955 22445 28379 34184 39989 45149 24.7 Malaysia 722 758 792 835 877 920 962 1005 1047 1089 4.4 New Zealand 295 308 293 300 300 303 312 337 362 391 5.4 Pakistan - - - - - - - - - - - Philippines 431 470 515 549 541 607 679 790 1037 1215 17.6 Singapore - - - - - 2750 5479 6572 7562 8318 - South Korea 1610 1860 2172 2325 2401 2430 2512 2852 3204 3360 7.0 Taiwan - - - - - - - - - - - Thailand - - - - - - - - - - - Vietnam 47 54 60 67 74 81 89 106 122 139 13.4 Total 10926 12774 16721 20343 21845 32305 41259 48790 56373 62927 23.6 INSIDE ASIAN GAMING | November 2011 32