Inside Asian Gaming

inside asian gaming October 2015 42 Sands China Appoints Beijing Insider to Run Macau Ops Sands China Ltd. hired a Beijing insider to help run its Macau casino business, breaking from a tradition of having non-Chinese executives helm those operations as the company braces for stricter policies and as gambling-license renewals loom, reports Bloomberg . WilfredWong, whowas a 15-year veteran of China’s top lawmaking body the National People’s Congress, will replace Rob Goldstein as president and chief operating officer on 1st November. Mr Goldstein, also president and COO of parent Las Vegas Sands Corp., has served those roles at the Macau unit since earlier this year. “I suspect that having an influential Chinese person at the helm of the ship would be a distinct positive as it relates to concession renewal, not to mention any other approvals along the way,” Union Gaming Group analyst Grant Govertsen said in an e-mail. There’s a growing risk Macau could withdraw some casino licenses as the permits come for up renewal as soon as 2018, a few years before they expire, Daiwa Capital Markets analysts wrote in June. The stakes are high as Sands China plans to open its $2.7 billion Parisian Macao project in 2016 amid a downturn in the city’s gambling industry that has caused second-quarter profit to plunge 30%. Macau’s Chief Executive Fernando Chui said in August the government expects to complete its mid-term review for the gaming industry by year-end. The city’s six casino operators hold gaming licenses whose 20-year concessions expire from 2020 to 2022. Sands China “will definitely” have its casino license renewed after the large investments it has made in Macau, and may even get a better deal in terms of taxes or required payments, according to Chris Kwai, an analyst at China International Capital Corp. Las Vegas Sands Chairman Sheldon Adelson, who took over as the CEO of Sands China earlier this year after former Macau chief Edward Tracy retired, had said in May the company would like to hire an executive who’s Chinese for Macau, and someone who has dealt with officials in Beijing. “We reached outside the gaming industry to find an executive who is highly educated, distinguished and ethical,” Mr Adelson said in a statement. “Wilfred has a unique combination of private- and public-sector experience we think will be invaluable to the company at this point in our history.” Mr Wong, who is currently chairman and CEO of Hsin Chong Construction Group Ltd., has served in various positions appointed by the China government including as a member of the Hong Kong Basic Law Consultative Committee, according to Sands China. The Harvard University graduate was a member of the National People’s Congress from 1997 to 2012, the company said. Weike Teams Up With Casino Game Maker Weike Gaming Technologies, a leading Asian gaming manufacturer has signed an exclusive agreement with Las Vegas-based Casino Game Maker Inc. Under the terms of the agreement, Weike will be an exclusive distributor for a range of Casino Game Maker’s electronic gaming products throughout Asia. Weike is committed to providing Asian operators gaming solutions that will generate strong revenue growth. Casino Game Maker’s strength in new technology, innovative gaming platforms and designs will complement Weike’s own portfolio of gaming devices and systems. Weike CEO Sneah Kar Loon said “We are very excited with our collaborative partnership, being able to distribute Casino Game Maker products and look forward to unlocking more value for the Asian operator. Additionally, we are very impressed with Casino Game Maker’s technology and vision and are excited to be working with Andrzej and his team.” “Casino Game Maker is delighted to introduce its innovative Valhalla Platform to the Asian operators in cooperation with Weike Gaming Technologies,” said CGM President Andrzej Surmacz. “We found Weike’s solid reputation and proven record of success in the Asian market as a perfect fit in our desire to roll out our latest technologies to grow our business.” Based in Las Vegas, Casino Game Maker, Inc. specializes in gaming solutions for land- based casinos with expertise in platform and game design, compliance review, system integration and EGM manufacturing. CGM’s goal is to empower all game designers to become actively involved in shaping the casino floor of the future by providing them with a robust game development platform, the latest design technologies, open source tools, and support and services needed to get their games on the casino floor. Interblock Names New Asia Pacific Product Manager Luxury gaming manufacturer Interblock has appointed Brad Glencross as Product Manager for Asia Pacific. Mr Glencross has more than 20 years of product management experience, including nearly 15 years in the Asia Pacific gaming industry. Interblock Senior Vice President of Asia Pacific Cameron Louis said, “We are pushing forward quickly throughout the Asia Pacific region, including opening a permanent office in Sydney, new REGIONAL BRIEFS Wilfred Wong Weike CEO Sneah Kar Loon and CGM President Andrzej Surmacz