Inside Asian Gaming

INSIDE ASIAN GAMING | October 2013 20 E very so often, presumably tired of reporting on the inexorable growth of Macau’s casino industry, the financial media take to searching for reasons to temper the optimism. One popular theme is the possibility of casinos being legalized in Hainan. Another is potential competitive threats from gaming expansion in other jurisdictions around the region. Last month, Bloomberg attempted to sow some new seeds of pessimism with a headline that proclaimed: ‘Floating Casinos from Hong Kong Stealing Macau Gamblers.” “Lower costs, less government scrutiny and easier visa requirements are encouraging some China bettors to turn to gambling boats as an alternative to Macau’s glitzy casinos,” stated the article, providing a couple of anecdotal examples of would-be mainland Chinese punters who had opted to patronize one of the eight casino cruises that sail nightly out of Hong Kong rather than make the increasingly costly trip to Macau. FEATURES Making Waves Hong Kong’s gambling cruises may be popular, but they won’t be cannibalizing Macau The Star Pisces is operated by Star Cruises, part of the Genting Hong Kong group. M.V. Macau Success saw profit double in the first half of 2013 to HK$2.15 million.