Inside Asian Gaming

INSIDE ASIAN GAMING DECEMBER 2018 18 L AST year Inside Asian Gaming celebrated 10 years of the Asian Gaming Power 50. This time around we kick off the second decade of our industry’s definitive list of its 50 most powerful people in Asia. What began in 2008 as a fun and innovative look at those who make our industry tick has evolved into an important annual insight that is anxiously awaited by all. Compiling the Asian Gaming Power 50 is an intriguing, demanding, educational and exhausting task yet one that comes with considerable responsibility to “get it right.” It is with this in mind that IAG employs a panel of highly experienced gaming veterans each year to pore over and debate every candidate, with the whole process taking close to two months in its entirety. More on this year’s panel shortly. ONWARDS AND UPWARDS Asian Gaming Power 50 enters second decade By Andrew W Scott IAG Asian Gaming Power 50 selection panel Chairman Development It’s just over 10 years since we first launched the Asian Gaming Power 50 in 2008 and not much longer than that since the Venetian Macao changed the face of the region’s land-based casino industry when it opened its doors in 2007. Since then, a small parcel of land measuring just 6.7 square kilometres has become the richest place on earth, home to world class integrated resorts City of Dreams, Galaxy Macau, MGM Cotai, Sands Cotai Central, Studio City, Wynn Palace and The Parisian Macao. Not too far away, the Philippines has emerged as Asia’s second gaming hub with Resorts World Manila paving the way and a new district known as Entertainment City now home to Solaire, City of Dreams Manila and Okada Manila. In Singapore, Resorts World Sentosa and Marina Bay Sands have changed the face of the city while more recently Korea, Vietnam and Cambodia have opened their arms to the tourism boom that such high-end casino-resorts can offer. Now all eyes are firmly fixed on Japan in anticipation of Asia’s “next big thing.” ASIAN GAMING POWER 2 0 1 8