Inside Asian Gaming

IAG DEC 2021年12月 亞博匯 115 業界盛事 confidence in their ability to travel to and from other prefectures. By comparison, visitation to Macau has varied wildly throughout 2021 due to the frequent tightening and loosening of border restrictions. According to Aristocrat’s General Manager APAC, Lloyd Robson, this highlights a key consideration for Macau operators heading into 2022. “I think [recovery] will largely be technologically driven, the use of digitisation in Macau,” Robson explained. “That’s not necessarily from a gaming transaction point of view but as an enabler to shuffle people across the border, shuffle them into their hotel room and move them around the property in an efficient manner and in a contactless manner as well. I expect that’s where we will see the most innovation and enhancement compared to a couple of years ago.” Behaviourally, time will tell how players react to restrictions that may be imposed on the gaming floor. Mask mandates, for example, could either be seen as an impediment to freedoms or conversely they “could start to become a norm for players when they are in a close-knit environment,” according to IGT Sales Director for Asia, Michael Cheers. “They may want to continue that behaviour simply to prevent things like the common cold. But once things become voluntary rather than mandatory, players will find their own level and they will become much more comfortable. “I have a feeling that once masks become a voluntary choice and people feel that’s another step towards freedom, that they are able to engage more and move around the casino more freely, I think that will have a significant psychological effect.” From an electronic gaming perspective at least, Cheers believes the COVID-19 pandemic will prove beneficial in Macau, which has traditionally seen more than 90% of revenues come from gaming tables instead. 引人們過關、入住酒店房間及在酒店內走動。我預計與幾年前相 比，這將是我們看到最多創新和改進的地方。」 從行為角度而言，隨著時間的推移可看到玩家將對可能在娛 樂場區域採取的措施作何反應。IGT Asia銷售總監Michael Cheers 認為，譬如強制要求佩戴口罩的規定，既可被視為對自由的障 礙，也可反之「當玩家處於一個密切接觸的環境之中，成為一種 新規範。他們可能想繼續這種行為，就像是為了預防感冒那樣。 而一旦事情變得自願而非強制性的，玩家就會找到自己的舒適 區，他們會變得更加自在。」 「一旦戴口罩成為一種自願選擇，人們會覺得這是邁向自 由的又一步。他們能夠參與更多的活動，並更自由地在賭場中走 動。我認為這將產生顯著的心理影響。」 至少從電子博彩遊戲的角度來看，Cheers認為新冠疫情是 對澳門有利的。傳統上，澳門的九成博彩收入都來自賭桌。 Cheers表示：「毫無疑問，市場中的電子產品空間繼續增 長，其中包括電子博彩設備和角子機產品。」