Japan
Okura Holdings to close two underperforming pachinko halls
Hong Kong-listed Okura Holdings said it was closing down two of its pachinko parlours due to intense competition in the industry and the impact of Covid.
Wakayama IR Promotion Council urges operator selection
A general meeting of the Wakayama IR Promotion Council held last weekend passed a resolution urging the prefectural government to make its decision on an IR operator partner as soon as possible.
Politics may upset Japan’s IR apple cart [video]
Daniel Cheng, a seasoned casino veteran who was formerly leading Hard Rock International’s effort to gain a license in Hokkaido, talks to Asia Gaming Brief about Japan’s creepingly slow progress towards its first IRs.
Pachinko industry needs new business model
Even before the Covid pandemic it was apparent that the pachinko industry, at least in its current form, possessed a dying business model. Recent events have only accelerated the trends.
Bicycle racing shares in Japan’s online gambling boom
Japan’s Keirin (bicycle racing) has not been left behind in the nation’s recent online wagering boom. While revenues have been advancing slowly in recent years, in 2020 overall ticket sales jumped to just under JPY750 billion (US$6.9 billion), a 13.6% year-on-year increase.
Osaka frets over loss of leverage and scaled-back IR ambitions
The authorities in Osaka are concerned that they have lost leverage in negotiations with the MGM-Orix IR consortium, and that poor business conditions will force a significant scaling back of ambitions, according to the reporting of the Nihon Keizai Shinbun.
Oshidori makes CSR push in Nagasaki
Facing crunch time as Nagasaki Prefecture nears its final selection of an IR operator partner, Oshidori International Development is making a big push through CSR policies to distinguish itself from its remaining rivals.
Nagasaki forms education consortium to support IR development
A consortium of public institutions is being formed in Nagasaki Prefecture to support the education of young people who may eventually work at the prospective IR at the Huis Ten Bosch theme park or in related industries such as hotel and MICE.
Japan sparks up debate on legalized sports betting
The possibility that Japan might legalize sports betting for popular sports like professional baseball and soccer exploded into the public view on Wednesday with a scoop carried in the Financial Times.
Pachinko industry dismisses Covid emergency closure requests
In response to the latest state of emergency declaration in four prefectures, it does not appear that any pachinko company has chosen to comply with their governors’ requests to suspend operations.
Australasian Gaming Expo (AGE) 2021
The Australasian Gaming Expo (AGE) is the place to see new products and services, network, attend thought-provoking seminars, seek business partners and generate sales....
Life After POGOs – AGB Pop-Up Forum
The Philippines and Asia’s online gaming industry is going through uncertain times, with the gaming regulator seeing more and more operators leaving the country for greener pastures.
Acquiring & Retaining iGaming Customers
In this AGB Webinar Series, we covered the newest strategies for iGaming player acquisition and retention.
Asia Gaming Briefings – April 2021 Edition
In this April edition of Asia Gaming Briefings we take the pulse of how the North Asia jurisdictions of Japan, Korea and the Russian Far East have fared.
Asia Gaming Briefings – Feb 2021 Edition
The world is bouncing back, or at least coming to grips with the fact that going forward not much will be the same as before. Commendably, this industry quickly understood the need to adapt to a new normal, and that the days of targeting the low hanging fruit of the VIP sector are gone.
Asia Gaming Briefings – Dec 2020 Edition
Over the years, many of the answers have been remarkably prescient in their forecasts for the near-term direction of Asia’s gaming industry. However, we can safely say that no one came anywhere close to guessing what 2020 may have had in store.