Inside Asian Gaming

INSIDE ASIAN GAMING DECEMBER 2017 70 The next five ASIAN GAMING POWER 50 2 0 1 7 Mike Bolsover MANAGING DIRECTOR AND CEO Silver Heritage Group It took a fully underwritten accelerated renounceable entitlement offer for Silver Heritage Group to raise the extra US$14.4 million it needed to complete its Tiger Palace Resort Bhairahawa near the Indian border in Nepal. The good news is that casino operations have launched, paving the way for a strong 2018. Tong Fung CHAIRMAN Aquis Tony Fung’s Aquis Australia began 2017 by pulling out of a proposed plan to In order to rank the 50 most powerful people in Asian gaming , the panel considered many more than 50 people. We actually needed to look at the ranking of around 55 people to ensure we had the “number 50 cut off” in the right place. These five are the people knocking on the door of the Power 50, and the people we currently consider the most likely new entrants next year. Although we did rank these five people 51 through 55, we’ve listed them below in alphabetical order. You’ll just have to guess who we ranked number 51, the unlucky “bubble boy” (to borrow a poker term). Mike Bolsover Louis Ng EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR AND COO SJM Perhaps best known for his love of fine wine, SJM’s “third in charge” and close confidante of Stanley Ho has played a key role in the company’s success over the years even if he prefers to keep a lower profile than his peers. He is also a director of the Canidrome and Macau Slot. Dhammika Perera CHAIRMAN AND MANAGING DIRECTOR Vallibel One Sri Lanka’s richest man owns three of the nation’s four casino licenses, but his plans to build a US$200 million integrated resort in Queensbury were knocked on the head by the government in 2017. build a mega-IR in north Queensland and instead turned its focus to the Australian capital Canberra. Aquis has received initial approval for an AU$330 redevelopment of Casino Canberra that would allow for the addition of 200 slot machines and 60 ETGs although it is yet to confirm that it will proceed. Li Chi Keung MANAGING DIRECTOR Macau Jockey Club A heavy hitter in Macau’s racing and sports betting scene, Li Chi Keung oversees the Macau Jockey Club, the Canidrome and Macau Slot. He is also Chairman of junket operator Golden Group and is said to be one of the largest local mezzanine financiers of satellite casinos.