Inside Asian Gaming

INSIDE ASIAN GAMING OCTOBER 2018 46 COLUMNISTS The successful impact of Naga2 on NagaWorld’s overall performance was dramatic. In the 12-month period ending 30 June, the two properties collectively generated over US$1.2 billion in gaming revenue. For the trailing 12 months ending in June of 2018, gross gaming revenue increased by 105% from the prior year period. NagaWorld’s impact on economic growth was equally dramatic. It now employs over 8,600 people and the property generates over 20% of the country’s tourism GDP. POIPET Poipet sits across from Aranya Prathet, a border town in northeastern Thailand that serves as the primary overland crossing between those two countries. The casinos target the 10 million residents of Bangkok. The casino district is currently comprised of 15 properties, with approximately 800 tables, 4,000 electronic gaming machines and about 2,500 guest rooms. These properties range in quality from half stars to 3 stars. The casinos’ location relative to Thailand and Cambodia’s immigration checkpoints is unique. Patrons leave Thailand and enter the Poipet casino district without actually going through Cambodia Immigration. This allows Thai residents to easily cross the border and enjoy a day of gaming entertainment without enduring the ordeal of passing into and out of Cambodian Immigration. A Thai citizen returning home need only present an identification card to re-enter Thailand, minimizing the border crossing process to just a few minutes. However, westerners visiting the casino district from Thailand must obtain both an inbound and outbound Cambodia visa stamp to re-enter Thailand. Poipet is a three-and-a-half hour drive by car from central Bangkok. A four-lane divided highway recently replaced a two-lane, two- way road, ostensibly to accommodate the burgeoning commercial traffic traveling to According to the Minister of Finance, there were an estimated 79 casinos operating in Cambodia as of the end of 2017 and 81 as of September 2018, with frequent new entrants and closures making that number fluid. The Poipet border crossing between Thailand and Cambodia