Inside Asian Gaming

IAG JAN 2021年1月 亞博匯 77 對於那些認為數字貨幣不能在賭場營運中佔一席位的人士 而言，應該要問問自己，以下哪件事更有可能發生：賭場中介業務 反彈，而中介業務運作通常是不透明的；抑或是賭場業務轉移到 資金來源和押注可以立即驗證的數字世界？我認為我們正步入一 個透明度更高和監督更強的年代。這些潛在發展將提供無數的可 能性，以更有效地經營賭場業務，並藉著加強數字化和自動化運 作，顯著地提高業務的盈利能力。 儘管行業因應疫情經歷了艱難時期，但我們似乎已克服了最 糟糕的時期，隨著消費者對娛樂產品的需求回升和增長，行業前 景實在是令人期待。在理想的情況下，疫苗、社交隔離措施以及最 終達至的群體免疫，將使人們能夠再次安全地享受獨一無二、令 人振奮的綜合度假村娛樂體驗。然而，營運商將需開發創新、靈活 和更具差異性的市場產品，以適應客戶快速轉變的喜好，從而抓 住市場機遇。 regulators with secure, effective and incontrovertible audit trails along with a full transaction history. Smart- contract technology products have also proven to work well in supply chain structures, increasing efficiency while reducing costs, and I believe they could have a similar impact in our industry. For those who think digital currency adoption may not take hold in the casino business, just ask yourself what is more likely – a rebound in junket turnover where business dynamics are generally opaque, or migration to a more digital world where sources of funds and corresponding wagers are immediately verifiable? In my view, we are entering an era of increased transparency and greater oversight. And these potential developments could provide innumerable possibilities for how to more efficiently operate a casino business with the chance through increasing digitization and automation to significantly increase profitability. While the industry has experienced tough times as a result of the epidemic, it appears we are through the worst of this episode and incredible prospects await as consumer demand for entertainment products rebounds and flourishes. Ideally vaccines, social distancing and ultimately some sort of shared immunity will enable people to again safely experience the exhilarating entertainment that IRs uniquely offer. Yet companies will need to develop newer, flexible and more differentiated market- oriented products that keep up with their customers’ fast-changing preferences in order to capitalize on the opportunity. 專欄