Zitro is setting the stage for one of its most significant appearances in Asia at G2E Asia 2026 in Macau. Two of its standout cabinets, FANTASY and CONCEPT, will be the main highlights, supported by a portfolio of titles developed with the Asian gaming market firmly in mind.
FANTASY makes its G2E Asia debut this year, bringing with it exclusive games such as ‘Brave Dragon’ and ‘Lion Falls’. Each title was developed specifically for this cabinet, combining graphics second to none, immersive multimedia, and an individual color lighting system that gives each game its own identity on the floor.
Alongside FANTASY, the acclaimed CONCEPT cabinet from Zitro spotlights custom regional content: ‘Haunted Fortune’, ‘Ancient Link’, ‘Goddess Saga’, ‘Tied Up! Coins’, ‘River Gold Wealth’, ‘Legendary Sword’, and ‘King Fu Frog’ — sure to connect with Asian audiences.
“We are glad to return to G2E Asia with a lineup that represents a new chapter for Zitro in this market,” said Sebastián Salat, President-International at Zitro. “Asia is a key market for us, and our growing presence across the region is a reflection of the trust operators have placed in our products. With FANTASY making its Asian debut and a strong CONCEPT game portfolio behind it, we are confident this will be our most successful show yet.”
Zitro’s FANTASY cabinet has conquered casino floors worldwide, boasting installations across key regulated markets in Latin America and Europe. Its high-profile showcase at G2E Asia 2026 in Macau will amplify this global momentum, drawing international attention and paving the way for expanded Asian adoption.
MGM China reported a 9 percent year-on-year increase in net revenues for the first quarter of 2026, although profitability declined due to higher branding fees linked to the use of the MGM name.
The Macau-based operator generated $1.1 billion in revenue for the three months ended March 31st, up from $1.0 billion a year earlier, while segment adjusted EBITDAR fell 4 percent to $273 million.
According to financial results released by its parent, MGM Resorts International, on Thursday, branding license fee expenses increased by $23 million year-on-year, reflecting the first full quarter under a new long-term agreement between the two entities. Total branding fees reached $41 million during the period, compared with $18 million a year earlier.
MGM Resorts holds approximately 56 percent of MGM China’s issued share capital, underscoring the close financial and operational relationship between the two companies. The branding fee forms part of this structure, reflecting payments for the use of the MGM brand and related intellectual property.
At the property level, both MGM Macau and MGM Cotai recorded revenue growth, although performance diverged at the EBITDA level. A decline at MGM Macau was offset by stronger gains at MGM Cotai, resulting in overall growth in adjusted EBITDA on a combined basis.
MGM MacauMGM Cotai
MGM Macau generated revenue of HK$3.44 billion ($439 million) in the first quarter, up 9.2 percent from HK$3.15 billion ($402 million) a year earlier, although adjusted EBITDA declined 7.9 percent to HK$831.5 million ($106 million) from HK$902.5 million ($115 million).
MGM Cotai reported stronger performance, with revenue rising 10.1 percent to HK$5.33 billion ($680 million) from HK$4.84 billion ($617 million), while adjusted EBITDA increased 10.9 percent to HK$1.63 billion ($208 million) from HK$1.47 billion ($187 million).
Operationally, MGM China’s performance was supported by gaming activity. Casino revenue rose 9 percent year-on-year to $977 million, driven by a 10 percent increase in main floor table games drop and an 18 percent rise in table games win, with the win rate improving to 27.1 percent.
At the group level, MGM Resorts reported consolidated net revenues of $4.5 billion, up 4 percent year-on-year, with MGM China cited as a key contributor to overall growth.
MGM China has opened a new 40,000-square-foot premium gaming area at its Cotai property (MGM Cotai), reinforcing its focus on high-end customers in Macau’s competitive gaming market.
The newly launched space features around 40 gaming tables and 15 private rooms, with management emphasizing a strategy centered on quality rather than volume, according to comments made during the company’s first-quarter earnings call.
Chief Executive Officer Kenneth Feng said the expansion reflects the company’s ongoing efforts to refine its premium mass offering and tailor products to targeted customer segments. “We just opened 40,000 square feet of premium gaming space at Cotai. We have about 40 tables, 15 private rooms,” Feng said, adding that the design, construction, and service approach were developed to meet evolving customer preferences.
Bill Hornbuckle, CEO, MGM Resorts
The new gaming area complements broader upgrades at MGM Cotai, including recently completed suite conversions and renovated premium gaming zones ahead of the upcoming Golden Week holiday. MGM Resorts CEO Bill Hornbuckle said the company continues to invest in its competitive advantages in the premium segment to support future growth.
“We continue to invest in our competitive advantages in premium mass to support future growth, and the suite conversion and renovated premium gaming areas at MGM Cotai were recently completed,” Hornbuckle said.
The company also indicated that its Macau market share stood at 15.4 percent for the quarter, but improved to 17.3 percent in March and remained at a similar level into April.
Feng noted that Macau remains a market driven by product quality and customer experience rather than scale alone. “Macau market is a premium-driven one. It’s not simply about supply… it’s more about quality,” he said, highlighting the company’s focus on meaningful and targeted offerings for high-value players.
In addition to physical upgrades, MGM China is also expanding its gaming product mix. Feng said the company has introduced additional side-bet options on gaming tables following regulatory approval, noting that these products have gained traction in Macau since the pandemic and typically carry higher house advantages.
“Side betting in Macau is still relatively new… we will keep monitoring the adoption of the games, player behavior and GGR trends,” he said.
Beyond Macau, MGM continues to advance its international pipeline. Chief Financial Officer Jonathan Halkyard said the company expects to deploy between $200 million and $225 million in Japan this year, underscoring ongoing investment in the future integrated resort market there.
The Cotai expansion comes as operators in Macau increasingly compete on premium offerings and differentiated experiences, with MGM positioning its latest investment as part of a broader strategy to capture high-end demand.
The tier-1 sportsbook provider BETBY has partnered with QTech Games, a leading aggregator in emerging markets, to deliver its full sportsbook solution across QTech’s global operator network.
Through this collaboration, QTech partners will gain access to BETBY’s complete sportsbook offering — as the aggregator’s exclusive sportsbook provider — covering more than 500,000 monthly events, proprietary AI-driven tools, and esports feed Betby.Games. Delivered via a single, seamless API integration, the solution unlocks immediate access to QTech’s operator base, significantly expanding BETBY’s distribution while enabling partners to onboard a premium sportsbook with reduced complexity and rapid time-to-market.
The integration directly addresses key operator challenges associated with launching a sportsbook, particularly the technical complexity and costs of managing multiple platform integrations. By leveraging QTech’s aggregation platform, operators — especially those with a casino-first focus — can seamlessly introduce a fully scalable sportsbook solution without heavy development overhead, accelerating their entry into sports betting while maintaining operational efficiency.
The partnership also reinforces BETBY’s strategy of expanding its presence in Asia, where QTech Games has built strong distribution channels and local expertise, while also supporting its broader growth across emerging markets such as Latin America and Africa. By combining BETBY’s sportsbook solution with QTech’s reach, operators will be able to deliver more competitive, localized, and engaging betting experiences.
“Partnering with QTech Games is a natural step for BETBY,” said Stefanos Karakidis, Business Development Director at BETBY. “They have established themselves as one of the most influential aggregators in Asia, with strong distribution channels and deep local expertise, while continuing to expand across other high-growth markets. QTech has a clear understanding of local player behaviour and operator needs, and together we’ll be able to deliver a Tier-1, mobile-first sportsbook experience, well-suited to the demands of the markets they serve.”
Philip Doftvik, CEO at QTech Games, said: “We are delighted to add BETBY’s award-winning sportsbook to our platform. Their product is modern, flexible, and designed for fast-growing markets, aligning with what our operator partners are looking for. From AI-driven tools to a rich e-sims portfolio, BETBY brings a level of innovation that elevates our offering and supports our mission to deliver the best content available across emerging iGaming markets.”
Macau gaming operator Sands China has launched the second phase of its community revitalization initiative targeting Rua das Estalagens.
The initiative aims to expand funding support for local small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), forming part of Sands China’s non-gaming investment commitments under Macau’s gaming concession framework.
Rua das Estalagens is located near the Ruins of St. Paul’s in Macau’s city center, a key area where the government aims to attract more visitors and enhance tourism flows.
Rua das Estalagens, Macau
Announced Wednesday at The Londoner Macao, the “Community Revitalization Programme 2.0” introduces two key initiatives aimed at boosting economic activity and sustainability in the historic district. The programme aligns with directives from the Macao SAR government to promote economic diversification beyond gaming.
According to the press release, the first component, the Entrepreneurship Recruitment Programme 2.0, seeks to attract a new batch of local businesses to establish operations on the street. Applicants are required to commit at least MOP300,000 ($37,500) in initial capital, with selected projects eligible for subsidies of up to twice their investment, capped at MOP1 million ($125,000). A judging panel will determine subsidy levels based on factors including business creativity, market potential, and the experience of the operating team.
A second initiative, the Shop Rebranding Programme, targets existing businesses on Rua das Estalagens, offering support to upgrade branding, packaging, and storefronts. Participants must invest a minimum of MOP50,000 ($6,250), with subsidies reaching up to three times that amount, capped at MOP500,000 ($62,500).
The company said the programme builds on the success of its first phase, launched in 2024, which selected seven enterprises from 128 applications across sectors such as cultural retail and food and beverage. Over the past two years, these businesses have helped increase foot traffic and visibility in the district.
Yau Yun Wah, director of the Economic and Technological Development Bureau of the Macao SAR Government
Speaking at the launch, Economic and Technological Development Bureau Director Yau Yun Wah said the initiative aligns with the government’s strategy to strengthen SME development and community-based economic growth. He added that cross-sector collaboration has been key to revitalizing traditional districts.
Dr. Wilfred Wong, executive vice chairman of Sands China
Good morning. The game behind the game matters. Sportradar reported a $7 million loss despite revenue rising to $406 million in 1Q26, with FX movements offsetting operational gains, while maintaining its guidance. The firm continues to expect strong full-year performance, projecting adjusted EBITDA growth of 34 percent to 37 percent. Meanwhile, Moody’s shifted Macau’s outlook to stable, reflecting closer alignment with mainland China’s economic outlook and strong fiscal fundamentals. Looking to Australia, The Star narrowed losses to $720,000 as restructuring and cost discipline improved results.
SOFTSWISS has announced the launch of Tech Race Summit 2026, a high‑load technology conference focused on addressing complex engineering and infrastructure challenges in the iGaming industry.
The event takes place on 10 September 2026 in Warsaw, Poland. Confirmed speakers include representatives from Amazon, Gcore, and Fastly, alongside technology leaders from iGaming and other high-load sectors.
The summit responds to a clear gap in the current conference landscape. As the iGaming industry grows in complexity, its infrastructure demands increasingly mirror those of other high-volume sectors. Yet most industry events remain oriented toward business development and commercial networking. Engineers, CTOs, product leaders, and technology decision-makers who actually build and run these systems have had no dedicated forum for in-depth technical discussion, comparing approaches, and learning from peers facing the same pressures from different angles. Tech Race Summit is that space.
The summit is built around cross-industry panel discussions. These sessions place knowledge exchange at the centre of the agenda, bringing together iGaming technology leaders and specialists from fields such as fintech, cybersecurity, cloud, and others.
“The iGaming industry has grown to the level of technical complexity that demands its own conversation – and its own community,” said Sergey Kastukevich, Chief Technology Officer at SOFTSWISS. “What we kept hearing from CTOs, engineers, and tech leaders across the industry was that they wanted a space to go deep: real architecture discussions, honest post-mortems, hard-won knowledge from people solving similar problems at scale. That space didn’t exist, so we built it.”
The summit will feature three tracks – the Main Track, the Engineering Track, and the VIP Track – scaling from open keynotes and panels down to small-group roundtables and exclusive sessions for decision-makers. Sessions span high-load systems architecture, AI implementation at scale, cybersecurity, cloud and edge infrastructure, platform strategy, and the technology decisions that are shaping today’s world.
BetConstruct AI will showcase its full iGaming ecosystem to global operators and leaders at SBC Summit Malta 2026 (April 29–30, Stand C50), one of the industry’s premier events.
At the event, the company will present its comprehensive iGaming ecosystem, covering Sportsbook Platform, Casino Platform, Affiliate Ecosystem, Retail Solutions, AI Suite, and more.
The Sportsbook Platform offers more than 140,000 pre-match events and over 12,000 monthly esports live events, while the Casino Platform integrates 350+ providers through a unified aggregation API.
BetConstruct AI will also highlight its Affiliate ecosystem, which includes 7,000+ vetted affiliates supported by AI-based scoring, alongside its Retail Solutions, enabling operators to connect land-based and digital channels through a fully integrated omnichannel approach.
A key part of the presentation will be the company’s AI suite, including CRM AI, Umbrella AI, AI Game Recommendation System, and Betting Mate AI, which covers you with everything from churn prediction and risk management to real-time personalisation and conversational betting.
A key focus at Stand C50 will be the Best Sportsbook for the World Cup 2026, backed by two zero-cost products — Powerfull for pre-tournament engagement and Bet on League for a fully integrated in-tournament hub — requiring zero development effort from operators. BetConstruct AI invites all operators, media representatives, and industry stakeholders to visit Stand C50 for live demonstrations and strategic discussions.
A Cambodian senator has denied involvement in scam operations after being sanctioned by the United States, rejecting allegations that he was linked to fraud networks targeting Americans, according to a report by The Straits Times.
Senator Kok An said on Tuesday he had no knowledge of scam activities, following claims by the US Treasury Department that networks operating in Cambodia defrauded US citizens of millions of dollars.
“I do not know about scamming. I am a senator,” he told RFI Khmer radio, denying that most of the sanctioned firms belonged to him or that his companies were involved in fraud.
The Treasury alleged that Kok An and his affiliates operated from casinos and repurposed office parks used for fraudulent activities, laundering funds and facilitating scams targeting Americans. The agency also sanctioned 28 individuals and entities linked to the network.
In a statement issued on April 23rd, the Treasury described Kok An as a “scam center kingpin,” claiming operators under his protection had stolen millions from US victims.
Kok An, a member of Cambodia’s long-ruling party, is also associated with Crown Resorts, a business that owns casinos and other properties in the country.
Sportradar reported a net loss for the first quarter of 2026 despite double-digit revenue growth, as the sports technology firm pointed to foreign exchange impacts and operational factors, while reaffirming its full-year outlook and expanding its share repurchase program.
The Switzerland-based company posted revenue of €347 million ($406 million), up 11 percent year-on-year, driven by strong demand for betting and gaming content and continued monetization of IMG ARENA rights. Adjusted EBITDA rose 12 percent to €66 million ($77 million), with margins expanding to 19 percent.
However, the company recorded a net loss of €6 million ($7 million), partially offset by unrealized foreign exchange losses, which improved operating performance.
Sportradar maintained its 2026 guidance, forecasting adjusted EBITDA growth of 34 percent to 37 percent, reaching between €390 million and €400 million ($456 million to $468 million), supported by margin expansion and continued revenue momentum.
$250M accelerated buyback program initiated
Sportradar announced a new $250 million enhanced open market share repurchase program under its existing authorization, signaling confidence in its long-term outlook.
During the quarter, the company repurchased approximately $90 million in shares, bringing total buybacks since the program’s inception to $228 million.
CEO Carsten Koerl said the move reflects management’s view that the company is undervalued.
“This reflects the great confidence we have in our business model, the integrity of our people and operations, and our company’s very bright prospects for profitable growth,” he said during the earnings call.
Addressing short-seller report
Sportradar also used the earnings call to respond directly to a recent short-seller report, which it said was aimed at pressuring the company’s share price.
“To be clear, Sportradar and I reject the unfounded and misinformed allegations contained in the reports. As the global leader in sports technology… we place integrity, transparency and professionalism at the heart of everything we do.”
Carsten Koerl
He added that the company maintains regulatory licenses across multiple jurisdictions and operates under a “robust compliance framework,” with oversight from its board.
The short-seller report, published earlier in April, raised concerns about the company’s exposure to illegal betting markets.
During the earnings call, Koerl also addressed risks related to so-called grey markets, emphasizing that the company does not engage with black market operators.
He said Sportradar’s exposure to unregulated or grey markets remains limited, accounting for “single-digit to low double-digit” percentages of revenue, estimated at between 5 percent and 13 percent following internal compliance audits.
The company reiterated that it maintains strict know-your-customer (KYC) and compliance standards to mitigate regulatory and reputational risks.
Growth driven by content and scale
Revenue growth in the quarter was primarily supported by betting technology and solutions, which generated €288 million ($337 million), up 15 percent year-on-year. This included a 20 percent increase in betting and gaming content revenue, reflecting strong uptake of IMG content among clients.
Customer net retention reached 108 percent, highlighting continued cross-selling and upselling across Sportradar’s global client base.
Despite strong turnover growth in managed trading services, revenue in that segment was affected by “player-friendly outcomes,” which management said are expected to normalize over time.
Looking ahead, Sportradar pointed to upcoming catalysts including major sporting events such as the FIFA World Cup in June, as well as expansion into prediction markets, as it continues to scale its data, content and technology offerings globally.
