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Hainan resorts are setting up baccarat tables
They’re not quite casinos, but they’re pretty close – and they could be coming to China sooner than some expected.
On the tropical island of Hainan, at least five Chinese-owned resorts are laying the groundwork for so-called entertainment bars, where players put down real money on games but receive their winnings in the form of points that can be redeemed in local shops, restaurants and hotels, according to people with direct knowledge of the plans.
The resorts’ owners have contacted suppliers of baccarat tables, drawn up blueprints to convert ballrooms into gaming floors and held informal discussions with Hainan officials in recent months, the people said, asking not to be identified discussing private information.
While China currently outlaws casinos outside Macau, the resorts are betting that Hainan will win an exemption for entertainment bars as part of a government push to turn the island known as “China’s Hawaii” about 2,700km south of Beijing into a major tourist destination.
If they’re right, it would mark another big shift in the country’s approach to gaming after officials unveiled landmark measures to promote horse racing and sports lotteries in Hainan two months ago.
It’s unclear whether provincial and national authorities would sign off on such projects – also known as “cashless casinos” – and they’ve given no public indication that a policy change is imminent.
But the recent flurry of activity follows a favourable court ruling on entertainment bars in December, which was interpreted by some observers as an official stamp of approval.
“From our conversations with people on the ground, they are positively excited about the changes that appear to be coming through soon,” said Ben Lee, a Macau-based managing partner at consultancy IGamiX, which has been working with developers in Hainan for a decade. Entertainment bars “would undoubtedly draw mainlanders who have never been overseas to try gaming,” he said.
Casual Punters
The games could provide a boost to Hainan’s tourism-related businesses, while at the same time allowing regulators to avoid many of the money-laundering and capital-outflow risks associated with traditional gambling operations.
Entertainment bars are unlikely to appeal to China’s high rollers, but they could lure casual punters who dislike the hassle of obtaining visas and foreign currencies for overseas trips.
A green light from authorities would probably unnerve investors in casino enclaves like Macau, the Philippines and Cambodia that rely heavily on Chinese customers. While the short-term competitive threat from Hainan would be manageable, that could change if entertainment bars pave the way for an eventual approval of full-blown casinos on the island.
“We may see more interesting developments in the next five to 10 years,” Lee said.
Government representatives in Hainan and Beijing didn’t respond to faxed requests for comment.
An index of Macau casino operators fell as much as 2.1 per cent on Tuesday to a seven-week low, led by SJM Holdings Ltd., Wynn Macau Ltd. and Galaxy Entertainment Group Ltd.
Entertainment Bars
Entertainment bars have a checkered history in Hainan. They debuted on the island about five years ago, at the Sanya Bay Mangrove Resort Hotel, where guests could play games including baccarat and swap their winnings for things like hotel rooms, iPads and jewellery.
But that operation was shut down in 2014 as local prosecutors accused the resort of breaking the law. Several other Hainan resorts were also forced to put their plans for entertainment bars on hold.
It took several years for the Mangrove case to work its way through China’s legal system, but in December, a Hainan court ruled that the resort’s gaming operation didn’t break the law after all, according to a court filing posted on a government website.
In another sign of China’s evolving stance, an online version of the points-based gaming model is now being tested by a sports-betting platform in Hainan that’s backed by organisations affiliated with the provincial and central governments.
Called the Hainan International Tourism Island Sports and Gaming Entertainment Project, it will allow players to deposit funds from their AliPay or WePay accounts into a smartphone app and use the money to wager on soccer and basketball games. Winnings can only be spent at select locations, mainly in Hainan, according to Yan Zhi, the project’s founder.
Still, it’s unclear whether China’s leaders will ultimately sign off on entertainment bars, according to Margaret Huang, an analyst at Bloomberg Intelligence in Hong Kong.
“The government will face challenges to decide their attitude toward a gambling-themed model,” she said. “The balance between regulation and economic development is hard.”
Some observers say the time is ripe for a change. Entertainment bars would not only dovetail with Chinese President Xi Jinping’s efforts to boost Hainan’s economy, they would also help the country develop more homegrown champions in the consumer services sector – another government priority.
While the bulk of gambling revenue in Macau still goes to foreign casino owners like Las Vegas Sands Corp. and MGM Resorts International, Chinese resorts have a dominant presence in Hainan.
To get a feel for the resorts’ optimism that entertainment bars will make a comeback, one only has to walk by the ballroom that housed the Mangrove’s gaming operations back in 2013. Instead of converting the giant space into something new, the resort simply covered it with a black curtain, which could presumably be quickly removed if policy makers give the go ahead. Representatives at the resort declined to comment.
“It’s now a consensus among companies and businessmen in Hainan,” said Liu Feng, director of the Hainan Normal University Free Trade Port Research Centre.
“The expectation is for looser policies and a more open business environment, to build Hainan into an international tourism and consumption destination.”
Source: Latest News on European Gaming Media Network
Welcome to our weekly roundup of American gambling news again! Here, we are going through the weekly highlights of the American gambling industry which include the latest news and new partnerships. Read on and get updated.
Latest News
Two of Alabama’s leaders in the hospitality and tourism industry — Wind Creek Hospitality, owned by the Poarch Band of Creek Indians, and the McGregor family, owners of Birmingham Racecourse and Casino and Victoryland Casino — announced that they have entered into an agreement under which Wind Creek will acquire the Birmingham Racecourse. The sale is expected to be finalised by early 2025.
Kaizen Gaming Colombia, owner of the Betano.co brand, was authorised by Coljuegos to operate online betting in the country. With this new operator, there are now 16 web platforms that have the approval of the entity to market games of chance online. The entity is also in the process of authorising an additional operator called Bingo Casino, which is expected to begin offering bets in the coming weeks.
Gaming Laboratories International has become the first laboratory to achieve accreditation in Maranhão, Brazil. The accreditation allows GLI to perform tests and certification for the gambling and lottery industry interested in working with lottery and fixed-odds betting operators in the state of Maranhão. The milestone is the latest in a series of regulatory achievements for GLI in Brazil.
BetConstruct has announced their participation at this year’s GAT Caribbean Cancún that takes place in Mexico from November 26-28. Taking place at the Cancún International Centre, the GAT Caribe Cancú is a prestigious event that gathers manufacturers, operators and marketers to broaden the horizons of the online and land-based markets in Mexico, the Caribbean region and Central America.
Legendz Social Casino & Sportsbook announced its highly anticipated launch, offering players an unparalleled social gaming experience across 43 states in English and Spanish language. With a vast array of games, innovative features and a player-first philosophy, Legendz is set to redefine the online social and sweepstakes gaming landscape.
Partnerships
International Game Technology PLC has announced that it has launched its first wide-area progressive (WAP) compatible game in Colombia with the all-new Condor Link. Players across the country now have the opportunity to spin for large-scale WAP jackpots at nine properties operated by Winner Group Cirsa, one of Colombia’s largest gaming operators. Delivering a highly engaging entertainment experience to the gaming floor, IGT’s Condor Link game features four jackpot levels and a reset value of 75,000,000 Colombian Pesos (COP).
Cisco and MGM Resorts International announced that the companies have signed a Whole Portfolio Agreement (WPA), empowering MGM Resorts with the majority of Cisco’s software portfolio. This includes cybersecurity, software defined networking, software defined-WAN, digital experience assurance, full-stack observability, data centre and services. This agreement spans 5.5 years, benefiting guests and employees across all of MGM Resorts’ properties.
Endorphina has entered into a partnership with Luckia, a leading company in the gaming sector. Combining Endorphina’s passion for slots with Luckia’s innovative spirit, this partnership is set to provide incredible gaming experiences to all iGaming enthusiasts. Luckia is a commercial brand of Luckia Gaming Group that combines offline and online gaming, including traditional businesses such as gaming machines in bars and restaurants and gaming arcades, new online gaming activities and land-based sports betting.
The post Gaming Americas Weekly Roundup – November 18-24 appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.
PokerStars is thrilled to introduce its latest online slot game, Power Path Lucky Reels, where players can win Power Path tickets and passes worth up to $10,300 at any time during gameplay.
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For PokerStars UK: Offer runs until August 25, 2025. Power Path Lucky Reels only. Initial opt-in required. Unopened Chests and rewards expire in 72 hours. Terms apply and more information about the Terms and Conditions for the promotion on PokerStars UK can be found by visiting: pokerstars.uk/poker/promotions/terms/?language=en
The post POKERSTARS UNVEILS POWER PATH LUCKY REELS SLOT: SPIN YOUR WAY TO EXCITING REWARDS appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.
After a thrilling Grand Final, T1 claimed the 2024 off-season champions title at this year’s Red Bull Home Ground. Emerging victorious with a 3-1 victory over Cloud9, they take home the much-coveted trophy for Korea.
In front of more than 2000 fans experiencing the excitement first-hand in Berlin, Germany and the thousands more watching at home, the professional VALORANT Invitational tournament saw a closely fought finale play out on the Arena Berlin stage.
As the event kicked off on Thursday 21 November, the Group Stages saw both T1 and Cloud9 put in dominant performances as they each went 2-0. While Team Heretics started in a strong position with a win over FOKUS, they fell to Cloud9 and, due to medical issues, were unable to continue, sending FUT Esports straight to the Semis. Vying for their own spot in the semi finals, last year’s champions Fnatic were unable to replicate their 2023 success as G2 headed into the lead with a 2-0 victory.
The Playoffs saw Cloud9 continue their dominant streak as their Semifinals match against G2 Esports went 2-0 with strong performances on both Sunset and Pearl. FUT Esports faced off against T1 in a hotly competitive game, with T1 taking the first map and FUT Esports the second. After a neck and neck showdown, T1 finally took Ascent as FUT bowed out the tournament and T1 advanced to the grand final.
The final stage of the competition saw Cloud9, who came in second place at last year’s tournament, go head to head against T1 in a thrilling matchup. Continuing to step it up in the grand final, T1 were off to a strong start as they took Abyss in a closely fought first match. Although Cloud9 soon equalled the score as they took the second map, it was T1 that eventually emerged victorious, winning the next two closely contested games to claim the trophy and Red Bull Home Ground 2024 champion title.
Following an excellent performance throughout the tournament, Red Bull Home Ground champion BuZz of T1 said: “Winning this tournament means a lot for us. Against international teams we show we’re strong, so that’s why I’m happy we win this tournament and maybe we can keep this momentum until the end of 2025!”
The post T1 claims victory at Red Bull Home Ground 2024 appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.
Gaming Americas Weekly Roundup – November 18-24
POKERSTARS UNVEILS POWER PATH LUCKY REELS SLOT: SPIN YOUR WAY TO EXCITING REWARDS
T1 claims victory at Red Bull Home Ground 2024
ELA Games Signs Exciting Partnership with Rootz to Introduce Its Portfolio to New Audiences
CryptoWins Celebrates One-Year Milestone with Birthday Month Bonuses and New Slot Launch: Wild Alaska
CT Interactive Achieves A1 Certification for Greece
Betsoft Unveils Exclusive Adventure in Coins of Slotshammer – Hold & WinTM for SlotsHammer
Three Nigerian Tennis Players Suspended Under Tennis Anti-Corruption Programme
FeedConstruct Announces New Partnership with Betinvest
PayBy Awarded Gaming-related Vendor License from the GCGRA
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