Inside Asian Gaming

IAG NOV 2021年11月 亞博匯 88 11-25 CHAIRMAN AND CEO Maruhan Group 主席兼行政總裁 丸韓股份 CLAIMS TO FAME 名成事跡 POWER SCORE 權能指數: 955 POSITION LAST YEAR 去年排名: 19 Founded Maruhan in 1957 and still running it at age 90 Japan’s largest pachinko operator in revenue terms • • • • 1957年創辦丸韓，年屆90歲高齡仍在掌舵集團 丸韓是日本收入最高的彈球機運營商 HAN CHANG-WOO 23 韓昌祐 JAPAN’S PACHINKO INDUSTRY hasn’t been immune to the ravages of the COVID-19 pandemic, which has accelerated the decline of an industry already seen to be edging towards its sunset. From a peak of 18,000 parlors in 1995 – when the number of active players was estimated at 30 million – the number of parlors had fallen to 10,060 by the end of 2018 and to 9,638 by 2019 but fell much further in 2020 to 8,302. Active players are said to be below 10 million. For operators like Maruhan, by far the largest in Japan, this has translated into a significant fall in sales. The company reported net sales of JPY1.55 trillion (US$13.9 billion) in the 12 months to March 2019 and JPY1.51 trillion (US$13.6 billion) in FY20. In the most recent fiscal year, which was heavily impacted by the pandemic, sales had declined by another 26.5% to JPY1.11 trillion (US$9.9 billion). Yet that hasn’t slowed the company’s founder, 90-year-old Han Chang-woo, who continues to power along, ably supported by his son and Maruhan COO Yu Han. Founded in 1958, Maruhan reached 100 parlors in 2002, passed 200 parlors in 2006 and 300 in 2014. Its parlors – often larger and more inviting than those offered by smaller rivals – include dining and other entertainment at some suburban locations. But diversification into banking in Cambodia – MARUHAN Japan Bank became the first Japanese-owned commercial bank in the Southeast Asian nation when established in 2008 – and Myanmar have proven better bets. 日本的彈珠機行業 也未能倖免於新冠疫情的破壞，疫情還加速了這個本已 就是夕陽產業的行業的衰敗。 日本彈珠機館於1995年達到高峰，數目為18,000間，活躍玩家高達 3,000萬，但到2018年底，彈珠機館的數量下降到10,060家，2019年下降 到9,638家，2020年進一步下降至8,302。據信活躍玩家已經不到1,000 萬。 對於像丸韓這種日本最大的彈球機運營商而言，這意味著銷售額的大 幅下跌。該公司報告稱，在截至2019年3月的12個月內，淨銷售額為1.55 萬億日元（139億美元），在2020財年的淨銷售額為1.51萬億日元（136億 美元）。而在受疫情影響最為嚴重的2021年，銷售額又下降了26.5%，至 1.11萬億日元（99億美元）。 但是這並沒有讓公司創始人、現年90歲的韓昌祐放慢腳步。他在兒 子、丸韓的首席營運官韓裕的支持下繼續掌舵集團的發展。 丸韓於1958年創辦，其彈珠機遊戲館數目於2002年達100間，於 2006年突破200間，2014年更發展至300間。丸韓的遊戲館不僅比競爭對 手大、更吸引人，並且會在部分位於郊區的遊戲館設有餐飲和其他娛樂設 施。 但事實證明其向柬埔寨和緬甸投資的銀行業務才是多元化的更好之 選。丸韓日本銀行於2008年成立，是柬埔寨首家日資企業成立的外資銀 行。