Inside Asian Gaming

IAG DEC 2019年12月 亞博匯 30 COVER STORY are already in the works while there is talk that Fontana – once Clark’s most prosperous casino until authorities shut it down in 2016 for the hiring of illegal Chinese workers – could also re-open under new ownership. The revenue trajectory has been just as sharp. In 2018, Clark’s casino GGR grew 22.4% to Php8.62 billion and is on track to rise by another 37% to Php11.81 billion in 2019. The Innovation Group’s Michael Zhu says Clark casinos will rake in around Php13.07 billion in 2020 and Php14.64 billion in 2021 – representing a better than 100% increase in five short years. And all thanks to Korea, with Clark’s number one source market providing around 20% of visitors to the area but 70% of its GGR, according to Royce Hotel and Casino’s General Manager –Casino, WilliamL. Avendaño. “When Fontana was still open they were able to produce an average of Php6 billion to Php9 billion from phone (proxy) betting every year,” Avendaño explains. “Since the closing of Fontana we don’t get the same phone betting numbers but we do produce the same gross gaming revenue in total now, and most of that comes from Koreans.” Figures released by PAGCOR in November show that Clark produced record quarterly revenue of Php3.31 billion in 3Q19, up 55.8% year-on-year. “That’s the market,” agrees Widus Hotel & Casino’s Assistant Vice President – Corporate Planning and Compliance, Neki Liwanag. “Clark has this unique mix of features that Koreans like – golf, casinos and nighttime entertainment.” Indeed, Clark’s casino operators recognize the vital role golf plays in luring Koreans to the area, with 11 world-class courses either already operational or in development. Those open for business include two 18- hole courses at Mimosa, two more at Sun Valley and an 18-hole course next to the shuttered casino at Fontana.