Inside Asian Gaming

IAG FEB 2021年2月 亞博匯 81 is intended that the digital yuan will facilitate cross- border RMB and overseas payments. IR operators that take the lead in revamping strategies and operations will be best placed to serve customers’ needs and take advantage of potential opportunities that the digital yuan may provide. Opportunities may also extend to vendors to develop API on China’s Blockchain-based service network for integration with digital yuan payment systems. Technology joint ventures, and investment from leading technology companies in the travel and leisure, and consumer internet sectors, will play a crucial role in updating the IR product to attract digital-generation consumers. Here, we are talking about a significant stakeholder commitment from the tech companies, beyond simple joint marketing promotions or services provision. A good reference is the joint venture which Marriott International hotels established with Alibaba, which has a dedicated workforce and management. It has allowed Marriott to roll out facial recognition check-in pilots, no-deposit reservations, faster check- out payments, and other service innovations, as well as its online storefront on Fliggy. These tech companies have considerable non- gaming resources to leverage and are closer to the consumer in their home market, which is especially important at the moment while frequent travel is somewhat restricted. Equally, IR operators hold attractive offline assets for these techcompanies, like retail and concert venues for staging virtual live-streaming events. So there are positive synergies for a deeper relationship between these parties for future growth and development. 特寫 IAG:當我們討論數碼轉型時，到底為博彩及旅遊業者有甚麼意 義？ MdME: 在我們看來，把數碼化放在優先位置的綜合度假村(IR)營 運商都把注意力放在以下四個方面：無現金營運、數碼人民幣、在 博彩及非博彩方面的科技聯營公司和與不同網上經營方式的匯 流。簡而言之，無現金支付及電子銀包現在已成為消費者常用的 交易方式，也是商戶偏好的付款渠道。在商業運作上，我們觀察發 現這些都令到交易及付款更加便利、更能即時監察現金流，還能 降低被詐騙及假冒的風險。 特別是新冠大流行之後，無現金支付及其他非接觸式交易方 案都能有助減低與實體貨幣傳播病毒的風險相關的公共衛生方 面的疑慮和僱主的責任。另外，無現金支付也為營運商提供宣傳 負責任博彩的新資源。現時的顧客都期望在IR可以使用無現金支 付的方案，即使在從前會使用大量現金的業務亦然。 有見及此，現在就是在IR業務的所有領域增設無現金支付相 關設備的機會，並且把這些設備與各個內部業務系統連接，以改 善對商業資料的分析，並從中獲取更多見解。 同樣即將來臨的數碼人民幣亦將會引發對於支付設施以及 能夠接受數碼人民幣的系統的需求，以服務來自中國的客戶，以 及將來的人民幣交易。顧客們的電子銀包中將會有數碼人民幣， 並會希望用它來消費。