Inside Asian Gaming

IAG AUG 2021年8月 亞博匯 60 ALL-IN DIGITAL The advantages have not been lost on other IR operators, with Bally’s Corp’s purchase of the sports betting technology company Bet.Works in November 2020, as well as MGM Resorts’ attempted take-over of sports betting and online gaming group Entain, which was abandoned in January this year. With a finite number of targets available for IR operators to consider, some may also look to partner with sports betting technology companies simply to host sportsbook betting platforms and kiosks within their venues, as illustrated by IGT PlaySports’ tie up with Resorts World Las Vegas and WynnBET Live’s collaboration with Scientific Games. A further strategy for digital diversification is the acquisition of digital gaming companies that operate in the B2Bmarket. Most recently, Las Vegas Sands last month announced the establishment of a new digital gaming investment team that will focus on portfolio investments in businesses that are developing digital gaming technologies for the enterprise sector. With the overwhelming conversion of service delivery to online channels, this is an area that stands to see significant growth going forwards. SPORTS WAGERING MARKET IN MACAU Nearer to home in Asia, the sports betting sector in Macau has been dominated by one entity, Macau Slot Co Ltd, which has held a prima facie monopoly and the sole concession for online and retail sports betting in football and basketball MGM Resorts earlier this year proposed a takeover of UK online gaming giant Entain PLC. 今年早些時候，美高梅國際酒店集團曾提議收購英國網絡博彩巨頭Entain PLC。