Inside Asian Gaming

IAG FEB 2021年2月 亞博匯 68 bold moves soon, it’s hard to see Clairvest securing a license. OTHER CANDIDATE OPERATORS The most established operator not yet mentioned is Genting Singapore . The Singaporean IR operator focusedonOsaka, and thenYokohama, signalling their desire for a major metropolitan location. President and COO Tan Hee Teck (ranked number 24 on the 2020 Asian Gaming Power 50) has done a creditable job representing Genting in Japan, coming across as polite, professional and likeable – all admirable qualities appreciated in Japan. It was an astute move by Tan’s boss, Genting Berhad Chairman and CEO KT Lim (ranked number 5 on the 2020 Asian Gaming Power 50), to make their Singapore branch the face of Genting’s bid. Japan’s admiration of squeaky- clean Singapore is long established, with the powers that be in Japan often repeating their goal of making the Japanese IR industry the “most regulated in the world.” The fingerprints of Singaporean regulation are all over Japan’s already-established JPY6,000 entrance fee for locals. Genting Singapore is playing their cards close to their chest in Japan, but this was a successful tactic their Malaysian parent company adopted in Singapore during the first decade of this century, securing one of just two highly coveted IR licenses. On the downside, Genting’s business has been decimated by the global pandemic perhaps more than any other major gaming company in the world, given their large exposure to the casino cruise business. It couldn’t have come at a worse time, when Genting is spread thinly around the globe. The US$4.3 billion Genting Las Vegas is nearing completion, Resorts World New York and home base operation Resorts World Genting in Malaysia are both facing pandemic distress. KT Lim’s son Lim Keong Hui (ranked number 30 on the 2020 Asian Gaming Power 50) stepped down as Deputy CEO of Genting Hong Kong in August after the JAPAN Japan’s admiration of squeaky-clean Singapore is long established, with the powers that be in Japan often repeating their goal of making the Japanese IR industry the “most regulated in the world.” 日本對整潔的新加坡可謂仰慕已久，當局經常複述其目標就是令日本IR產業 成為「全球監管最嚴格」的IR業。