Inside Asian Gaming

IAG JUN 2020年6月 亞博匯 65 業界盛事 I f there is one positive to come from the devastation COVID-19 has wreaked on the global gaming industry, it’s undoubtedly the innovation so many companies have shown in navigating these troubled waters. The events scene is proving to be no different. While the inaugural ICE Asia, originally scheduled to take place from 8 to 9 June 2020 in Manila, has been postponed until next year, organizer Clarion Gaming wasted no time in announcing a digital summit, ICE Asia Digital 2020, to fill the void. Running from 8 to 10 June, ICE Asia Digital is a free online event offering three days of unique content focusing on gaming in Asia, including a specific focus on topical subjects such as tech innovation, the future of gaming and how themarket will recover post-COVID-19. ICE Asia Digital 2020 will open with a keynote discussion by Andrea Domingo, Chairman and CEO of Philippine gaming regulator PAGCOR from one of the jurisdictions hit hardest by COVID-19 lockdowns. 2nt8 Ltd’s Alidad Tash, former Galaxy Entertainment Group Chief Marketing Officer Kevin Clayton and Sanford C. Berstein analyst Vitaly Umansky will host a panel examining the state of the market and what regional recovery might look like, while Jamie Nettleton of Addison, Ranjana Adhikari of Nishith Desai Associates and Lau Kok Keng of Raja & Tann Singapore will explore the regulatory impact of COVID-19 on the different gaming sectors around Asia. Day 2 will include contributions from Steve Wolstenholme, Acting CEO of Suncity Group’s Vietnamese casino Hoiana, as well as by Jose Angel Sueiro, Chief Operating Officer of PH Resorts – which is currently developing casino resorts in Cebu and Clark – and by Michael Sarquis, Executive Director of the Office of Liquor and Gaming Regulation in Queensland, Australia. The second half of Day 2 will feature an in-depth look at the latest developments in Japan following the shock withdrawal of Las Vegas Sands from the race to win an IR license and rumors that Tokyo may soon throw its hat into the ring. Chaired by Brendan Bussman of Global Market Advisors, the panel discussion will center around the timeline for casino development in Japan and be discussed by Ayako Nakayama of the Japan IR Association, Kazuaki Sasaki of Toyo University and Toru Mihara, Chair of the National Council on Gaming Legislation. To register for free to ICE Asia Digital 2020, visit www. ice-asia.com . 如 果說COVID-19對全球博彩產業造成的破壞有 任何正面的影響，無疑就是許多公司在處理這 些麻煩之中所展現出來的創新之舉。就舉辦活 動而言似乎沒有甚麼不同。 雖然原計劃於6月8日至9日在馬尼拉舉行的首 屆ICE Asia已被推遲至明年，但主辦方Clarion Gaming公司不失時機 的宣佈將舉辦「ICE Asia Digital 2020」數碼峰會，以填補空檔。 ICE Asia Digital於6月8日至10日在線舉辦免費活動，該為期三 日的活動圍繞著亞洲博彩市場探討了多個特別專題，其中包括備受 關注的科技創新、博彩業未來，以及市場將如何在COVID-19疫情之 後復甦。 在ICE Asia Digital 2020的開幕式上，菲律賓博彩監管機構 PAGCOR的主席兼首席執行官Andrea Domingo發表了主題講演。菲 律賓是此次因受新冠疫情影響而封城的最為嚴重的司法管轄區之 一。 此外，2nt8 Ltd公司創始人Alidad Tash、前銀娛集團首席市場推 廣總監Kevin Clayton及Sanford C. Berstein分析師Vitaly Umansky 將進行一場專業對話，探討當下市場狀況及區域復甦之態勢，而來 自Addison公司的Jamie Nettleton、來自Nishith Desai Associates的 Ranjana Adhikari以及來自Raja & Tann Singapore的Lau Kok Keng 將一起探討新冠疫情對亞洲各個博彩分部的監管影響。 第二日的活動亦菁英薈萃，參與者包括太陽城於越南之會安南 岸綜合度假村代理首席營運官Steve Wolstenholme、目前正在菲律 賓宿霧及克拉克開發賭場度假村的PH Resorts之首席營運官Jose Angel Sueiro、以及澳洲昆士蘭律政部酒類、博彩與公平貿易署執行 署長Michael Sarquis。 活動次日的後半場將探討在拉斯維加斯金沙集團令人震驚地 宣佈退出日本IR競逐賽道之後日本IR的最新進展，以及有關東京 將不日加入角逐的傳言。該場討論會由Global Market Asvisors的 Brendan Bussman主持，將圍繞著日本賭場的開發時間表展開討 論。來自日本綜合度假村協會的中山綾子、東洋大學的佐佐木一彰 以及日本博彩立法委員會主席三元徹亦將參與討論。 欲免費註冊ICE Asia Digital 2020，敬請訪問www.ice-asia. com 。