Inside Asian Gaming

INSIDE ASIAN GAMING | March 2013 14 FEATURES Z hang Baoquan must be cursing Reuters . Last month, the news agency reported on a “casino bar” on China’s southern Hainan island, owned by the mainland Chinese art, film and real estate mogul. The 17th February Reuters report claimed the Jester Bar, part of the newly opened 173-acre Mangrove Tree Resort World on Sanya Bay, “marks the Chinese government’s first tacit approval of a gaming concept outside of Macau.” Jester contained 50 gaming tables and was open only to hotel guests, with plans to admit local residents when the resort is fully completed next year, at which point the total development would feature 4,000 rooms, a convention center accommodating 6,000 people and facilities including a water park. According to the Reuters article: “Inside Jester, which models itself on Macau’s casino halls with garish chandeliers and a giant roulette wheel ceiling, players buy tickets costing 500 yuan (US$80) each. Bets range from 20-2,000 yuan in the mass area, while the high-limits area is set at 2,000-100,000 yuan. Big whale punters will be able to bet over 100,000 yuan once the VIP room opens on the second floor. “When players win, they receive ‘Mangrove’ points that can be used to buy products available in the casino such as an iPad or a Rimowa suitcase. Once luxury brands open outlets within the resort, customers will be able to spend their points in those stores. Art work fromZhang’s Beijing art gallery is also available for purchase.” Mr Zhang added that retail stores, including Prada and Louis Vuitton, would be part of a network of 20 luxury outlets at the Mangrove Tree Resort World on Sanya Bay, home of the controversial Jester Bar, opened late last year, with further construction still in progress. Bad Publicity Two days after a news report drew attention to it, Chinese authorities shut down a “cashless” casino bar in Hainan Photo courtesy Reuters