IN FOCUS: Sustainability demand
Going green for growth
The push towards a more sustainable global future has certainly received its fair share of knocks over the past four years, with Covid-19 presenting a further major challenge for the environment.
Demand for sustainable luxury grows
Frederic Winckler says that Asians have been playing a dominant role in the luxury market for some time, although for years this has been partially disguised by the fact that many of their purchases—indeed about two-thirds—were made overseas in Europe, Japan, and elsewhere.
Covid-19’s silent victim
The social and economic impact of the coronavirus should not be understated, however, there is a lesser known victim of the coronavirus that hasn’t received as much media attention over the last year - our environment.
JURISDICTIONS UPDATES
Londoner needs stiff upper lip in tough market conditions
Macau will face the biggest test of the mantra “if you build it, they will come,” as Sands China’s $2 billion “The Londoner” gets set to open its doors after the worst year in modern records for the world’s largest gambling hub.
Gambling loses industry titan – Sheldon Adelson dies at 87
Sheldon Adelson, whose vision for gaming in Asia helped reshape the skylines of both Macau and Singapore, died in January at age 87, though analysts expect the company to continue with its commitment to the region.
Slow start seen for Macau operators, but growth in H2
Lower operating costs and a better business mix are likely to have helped the bottom line of Macau’s operators in the fourth quarter, despite continued low revenues, Morgan Stanley says.
Tomakomai IR optimists continue to see glass half full
Hope springs eternal in the minds of Tomakomai IR advocates. The answer delivered from the lips of Hokkaido Governor Naomichi Suzuki keeps coming back “no,” but what seems to be delivered to their ears is “maybe soon.”
Competition adds to Covid woes in the Philippines
Operators in Entertainment City had already begun to complain about the impact of rising competition on their margins even prior to the Covid-19 crisis.
POGOs win tax battle, but maybe not the war
Philippine Offshore Gaming Operators (POGOs) have won a reprieve from a punishing franchise tax, which may stop the exodus from the country, but uncertainty over business conditions remains high, industry insiders say.
Paving a path forward in India
Throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, India’s gaming market has been subject to the same litany of impacts experienced in the rest of the gaming world.
Delta creates ripples with Goa IR plans
One gaming operator to watch in 2021 will be India’s Delta Corp., whose stock got a mid-month bump in December after it announced it had received approval in principle to build an integrated resort on shore in Goa.
INDUSTRY OPINION – Wai Ming Yap
LAST WORD – Sharon Singleton
Asia losing out on online convergence
MGM Resorts may have walked away from its $11 billion attempt to buy the U.K.’s Entain, but it’s unlikely to be the last attempt we see from land-based gaming giants seeking to secure a foothold in the online world.