Inside Asian Gaming

INSIDE ASIAN GAMING APR 2019 48 FEATURES very appealing to a lot of customers. It’s very different to anything else in Macau which I think is something the market is looking for. BB: It’s been about 18 months now since APE listed on the Growth Enterprise Market of the Hong Kong Stock Exchange. How important has that been for the company’s development? HN: It has made a big difference for us. It has allowed us to invest more capital into the business which has therefore allowed us to expand further outside of Macau. It has also done a lot in terms of getting the name of Asia Pioneer Entertainment out there. People are more aware of who we are and what we do now. BB: Are there plans to list on the main board of the Hong Kong Stock Exchange? HN: It is something we’re considering. We haven’t made a decision on that yet but we’re still discussing. We will probably make a decision on that sometime in 2019. BB: APE has spoken before about its plans to expand further into Asia. In what countries does APE currently conduct significant business? HN: Well Macau is still our biggest market but we have BB: Which companies do you represent? HN: It is still the same as it has been for a while now, with companies like Jumbo, Konami and Spintec. BB: What advantages do those companies see by using APE’s services in Macau? HN: The main thing is getting their products approved. As you know it can take quite a long time for product approvals in Macau but it’s a process that we know well and can help finalize a lot quicker. It usually takes at least three months for a new product to be approved but it can be up to six months in many cases. If a company makes an error during the approval process, they have to start all over again and then you’re looking at 12 months before you can distribute your product into the market. We make sure that doesn’t happen. BB: While we’re talking about bringing new products into the Macau market, are there any new products right now that have impressed you in terms of concept or innovation? HN: Actually, yes. We have just installed a new product from Konami called “Fortune Cup” in two Macau casinos and I am very interested to see how it performs. It’s a horse racing game with commentary that I think will be