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Asia Gaming eBrief: Konami seeks Japan casino manufacturer license

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Good morning. The runway is getting crowded. Konami is trying to secure its place early in Japan’s casino supply chain, saying it has filed the first manufacturer applications with Japan’s Casino Regulatory Commission ahead of MGM Osaka’s planned 2030 debut. Approval has not yet been granted, but the filing shows the supplier race is already moving from theory to paperwork. In Macau’s wider travel orbit, Super Typhoon Bavi is adding pressure, with southeastern China bracing for landfall and Air Macau adjusting ticketing on Taiwan routes as heavy rain drags on.

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Konami Gaming becomes first supplier to file for Japan IR manufacturer license

Konami Gaming submits first Japan casino manufacturer applications

Konami Gaming says it has become the first casino equipment manufacturer to file applications with Japan’s Casino Regulatory Commission, marking an early supplier-side step ahead of MGM Osaka’s planned 2030 launch. The company filed across all relevant manufacturer licensing categories, although approval has not yet been granted. Japan’s casino framework requires device manufacturers and other stakeholders to undergo regulatory checks, with Konami citing its localization, documentation and operational planning efforts.

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How Crypto Adoption in Asia is Changing iGaming Payments

Yevhen Krazhan, CSO for GR8 Tech

Yevhen Krazhan, CSO at GR8 Tech, explores how surging crypto adoption across Asia is revolutionizing iGaming payments, stating: “When I look at what’s changing fastest in Asia, it’s payment behavior,” as wallets, stablecoins, and seamless cross-border transfers become deeply ingrained in player habits. The winning operators will be those that offer fast, reliable, and local deposits and withdrawals. To make sense of it, Yevhen breaks Asia into two crypto realities.


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RubyPlay accelerates growth with Splash Tech acquisition

RubyPlay has agreed to acquire 100% of the shares in Splash Tech, marking a strategic expansion of its offering beyond content and into platform-level engagement tools.

The move adds one of the industry’s strongest jackpot solutions alongside Free-to-Play casino and sports capabilities to RubyPlay’s wider engagement suite, which already includes free spins, rewards, missions, and tournaments.

The addition of Splash Tech’s capabilities significantly strengthens RubyPlay’s offering, providing operators across regulated iGaming markets worldwide with new ways to increase ROI and revenues, and to sharpen player acquisition, engagement, retention, cross-sell and monetisation.

Splash Tech has a comprehensive range of engagement tools that are live with some of the biggest operators and platform providers in the global iGaming industry. Its flagship real-money jackpot solution has proven to smash single-supplier limitations by creating a broader and scalable engagement layer, turning any product across all verticals into a jackpot game.

Following completion, RubyPlay’s existing operator partners will gain access to Splash Tech’s Jackpot and Free-to-Play capabilities, which are designed to support engagement across third-party content as well as RubyPlay titles. Future RubyPlay-specific features are planned to create further value, including for use across its market-focused studios Koala Games, Mad Hat Games, xSlots, and Firerose.

Through this acquisition, RubyPlay has further differentiated itself as a tier one provider of revenue-driving products and services that deliver business growth for operators worldwide. It complements the company’s existing studio-based, layered content ecosystem, which gives casino brands greater flexibility, relevance, and brand control.

Commenting on the move, Tsachi Maimon, CEO of RubyPlay, said: “Through this acquisition, we are moving beyond the traditional content silo to firmly establish RubyPlay as a premium content and engagement platform provider. This elevated market position ensures we are delivering new revenue streams for our partners, providing them with effective ways to address player acquisition and retention. Splash Tech has built a strong reputation for innovation in player engagement tools, and its integration into RubyPlay’s portfolio marks a significant milestone in the company’s growth and strategic evolution.”

“Becoming a RubyPlay company will give Splash Tech a stronger foundation for growth, with continuity at the heart of this transition,” shared Adam Wilson, CEO of Splash Tech. “Existing Splash Tech partners will continue to benefit from the same trusted products, expertise, and relationship focus they expect from us, and we’re looking forward to working alongside new partners with RubyPlay. As a global B2B iGaming company with a growing operator network and multi-market reach, RubyPlay brings greater scale, operator insight, and market credibility to support our ambition for further expansion and innovation.”

The transaction is subject to regulatory approvals. Upon completion, Splash Tech will become a RubyPlay company.

Vietnam targets 25M international visitors and $43B in tourism revenue in 2026

Vietnam’s tourism sector is targeting 25 million international visitors in 2026, as authorities seek to sustain first-half growth through visa policy support, overseas promotion and broader source-market expansion.

The country welcomed an estimated 1.68 million international visitors in June, bringing total arrivals for the first 6 months of the year to 12.3 million, up 14.9 percent from a year earlier. Full-year tourism revenue is targeted at VND1.125 quadrillion ($43 billion).

The figures were reported by VnEconomy, citing Nguyen Trung Khanh, Director General of the Vietnam National Authority of Tourism, who said the sector’s second-half strategy would focus on policy reform, international market development and digital transformation.

Recent growth has been supported by more favorable visa policies, tourism promotion efforts and the expansion of key source markets, according to the report.

Vietnam’s policy agenda includes strengthening the national framework for tourism development, as the country seeks to position tourism as a key economic sector. Authorities also plan to deepen cooperation between airlines, travel companies and accommodation providers to support inbound travel demand.

Meanwhile, the digital transformation push will include integrating tourism databases with the national population database and upgrading tourism statistics to international standards.

Sands China marks fifth year of Sands Cares Global Food Kit Build initiative

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Sands China brought together nearly 450 volunteers this week for the fifth consecutive Sands Cares Global Food Kit Build, assembling a record 5,000 food kits for vulnerable members of the Macau community.

Held at The Venetian Macao’s Cotai Expo, the annual volunteer event saw participation from Sands Cares Ambassadors, local community groups, government representatives, and executives from parent company Las Vegas Sands. The food kits, which will be distributed through Caritas Macau, are intended to support elderly residents, low-income families, and other disadvantaged groups across the city.

This year’s edition was the largest to date, both in terms of volunteer participation and the number of kits assembled. In total, the kits contain around 30 tonnes of food supplies, including rice, cooking oil, noodles, and biscuits sourced from local SMEs. The packages also feature nutrition-focused recipe cards developed in collaboration with Caritas Macau, Sands China’s food and beverage team, and health professionals, supporting broader government efforts to promote healthy living.

Sands China marks fifth year of Sands Cares Global Food Kit Build initiative

Las Vegas Sands Chairman and CEO Patrick Dumont participated in the event alongside Sands China employees and community partners. He said the initiative reflects the group’s long-term commitment to Macau, where it has operated for more than two decades, while also contributing to wider global efforts that will deliver more than 51,000 food kits across Sands’ operating regions this year.

Caritas Macau Secretary General Pun Chi Meng praised the partnership, describing the food kit programme as a meaningful demonstration of community support that provides both practical assistance and encouragement to vulnerable residents.

Sands China marks fifth year of Sands Cares Global Food Kit Build initiative
Patrick Dumont (right) presents a cheque valued at MOP 880,000, equivalent to 5,000 food kits, to Judy Chiang It Sin (left), service director of Caritas Macau.

Since its launch in Macau, the Sands Cares Global Food Kit Build has prepared almost 17,000 food kits for local beneficiaries. The 5,000 kits assembled this year will be distributed by volunteers between July and August through 34 Caritas Macau centres and care homes across multiple districts.

The initiative forms part of the broader Sands Cares corporate citizenship programme, which supports community development, disaster relief, education, and social welfare projects in Macau, Singapore, Las Vegas, and other regions where the company operates.

Sands China also highlighted the ongoing contribution of its volunteer network, which has grown to more than 4,000 Sands Cares Ambassadors and accumulated over 362,000 hours of community service since the programme’s launch in 2009.

Super Typhoon Bavi threatens Macau travel flows as southern China faces heavy rain

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Super Typhoon Bavi is expected to make landfall along China’s southeastern coast this weekend, adding to a stretch of severe weather that has already brought heavy rain to Macau and much of southern China.

The storm, the ninth typhoon of the season, follows Typhoon Maysak, whose remnants have drenched the Pearl River Delta in recent days. Macau and neighboring Guangdong province have seen persistent downpours, with heavy to torrential rain forecast to continue across the delta through midweek.

The prolonged bad weather is already affecting travel plans across parts of the region.

The situation is more serious in Guangxi, where sustained extreme rainfall has triggered deadly flooding and reservoir alerts, drawing national attention and intervention from central authorities.

National flood-control authorities are maintaining a Level II emergency response for the region, while emergency management officials have dispatched relief resources. Beijing has warned of a “severe and complex” flood-control situation as Bavi approaches.

Bavi tore through Guam and the Northern Mariana Islands earlier this week at Category 5 strength and was packing maximum sustained winds of 216 kilometers per hour as of Wednesday afternoon. Mainland authorities expect it to make landfall between Saturday night and Sunday morning, most likely along the coast of Zhejiang and Fujian, both established visitor source regions for Macau, before potentially tracking north.

Air Macau has announced special ticketing arrangements for passengers traveling between Macau and Taipei, Kaohsiung, or Taichung from July 10th to 12th, allowing one free flight date change or a full refund without handling fees. Taiwan has suspended ferry services to offshore islands and closed tourist attractions ahead of the storm’s closest approach.

Konami files first Japan casino manufacturer applications ahead of Osaka IR launch

Konami Gaming says it has become the first casino equipment manufacturer to submit license applications to Japan’s Casino Regulatory Commission (JCRC), as the country continues to build out the regulatory framework for its integrated resort sector.

The Las Vegas-based gaming and systems subsidiary of Konami Group Corporation said it had filed across all applicable manufacturer licensing categories. The submissions do not constitute license approval, and the company did not disclose an expected timetable for the regulator’s review.

MGM-Orix, Osaka Integrated Resort, Japan

The filing comes as Japan prepares for the opening of its first integrated resort, MGM Osaka, which is scheduled to debut in 2030 on Yumeshima, an artificial island in Osaka Bay.

The project is being developed by Osaka IR KK, a joint venture established by MGM Resorts Japan and ORIX, after Osaka’s IR area development plan was approved by Japan’s land ministry in April 2023.

Japan’s casino licensing regime applies not only to IR operators but also to casino-related suppliers and other stakeholders. According to the JCRC, casino device manufacturers are required to obtain the relevant licenses, permissions or authorizations and are subject to regulatory checks intended to ensure the integrity and fairness of casino operations.

Under Japan’s IR Development Act, companies involved in the manufacture, import, sale, or repair of casino-related devices must obtain JCRC permission according to business category. Manufacturing permission is also required for each manufacturing facility, while electronic or magnetic casino devices are subject to a separate type approval.

“Konami’s early filing demonstrates our commitment and readiness to engage constructively with Japan’s regulatory framework from the outset,” said Lori Olk, senior vice president and chief compliance officer at Konami Gaming. “We have approached this process with a focus on transparency, preparation, and alignment with the stringent standards established by the JCRC.”

Tom Jingoli, President and COO, Konami Gaming
Tom Jingoli, President and COO, Konami Gaming

Konami said it has invested in localization, documentation, and operational planning to meet Japan’s legal, regulatory, and cultural requirements. The company said it supplies casino games and technology in more than 400 regulated markets worldwide.

Tom Jingoli, president and chief operating officer at Konami Gaming, said the application process involved coordination across multiple business units and jurisdictions. He added that the company remains focused on supporting Japan’s regulatory objectives and supplying compliant gaming products for the market.

Synectics brings greater efficiency to casino surveillance with Scene Check

Synectics has introduced Scene Check, a technology designed to automate camera verification and enhance surveillance management across casino floors.

By automating a process that is highly manual in many surveillance operations, Scene Check helps casino operators reduce operational risk, strengthen regulatory compliance, and restore gaming operations faster following outages, maintenance, or infrastructure changes.

Developed specifically for large-scale casino environments, Scene Check addresses one of the most time-consuming surveillance tasks, confirming that every camera is working correctly, positioned accurately, and delivering the required field of view across gaming floors, count rooms, cash-handling areas, and other critical locations.

The global launch follows a successful deployment at a major integrated casino resort, where the technology has already demonstrated clear operational value. 

Following a power outage that forced the temporary closure of a gaming area, Scene Check automatically validated surveillance coverage once power was restored, enabling the operator to reopen significantly faster than would have been possible using manual camera inspections.

“Camera faults don’t just create surveillance blind spots; they can delay gaming operations, increase compliance exposure, and consume hours of manual effort,” said David Aindow, Chief Strategy Officer at Synectics.

Replacing manual camera inspections

For casinos operating thousands of cameras across gaming floors, count rooms, cash-handling areas, and restricted-access locations, verifying camera performance is a critical but resource-intensive task. These inspections can take hours to complete and may still fail to identify issues.

Synectics unveils Scene Check, an automated camera verification technology for gaming floors

Scene Check by Synectics automates this process, enabling surveillance teams to check thousands of cameras in minutes by verifying camera alignment, field of view, image quality, and operational status. The solution automatically detects camera failures, misalignment, obstructions, tampering, blur, and focus degradation, generating alerts and reports that direct surveillance teams to cameras that require attention. 

Aindow added: “Surveillance teams have little choice but to spend hours manually checking cameras to identify issues. Scene Check changes that by automatically identifying those that need attention, allowing teams to focus on resolving problems instead of searching for them.” 

Supporting regulatory compliance

Scene Check creates a fully auditable record of camera verification activities, helping casinos demonstrate that surveillance coverage is actively monitored, issues are identified, and corrective actions are taken.

This provides valuable evidence for compliance reviews, whether conducted internally or required by gaming regulators, while giving operators greater confidence that surveillance coverage of critical areas remains continuous.

The technology is also suited to all environments where surveillance coverage is directly linked to operational continuity, enabling teams to quickly determine whether cameras remain compliant and ready for service following maintenance activities, outages or infrastructure changes.

“As surveillance systems continue to grow in size and complexity, manually verifying camera performance is becoming increasingly impractical,” shared David Aindow. Scene Check enables organisations to continuously validate camera readiness, helping them maintain surveillance coverage, strengthen compliance, and minimise operational disruption.”

Macau casino suspicious transaction reports rise 8.7% in 1H26

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Suspicious transaction reports (STRs) from Macau gaming operators rose 8.7 percent in the first half of 2026, driving an overall increase in reports received by the Financial Intelligence Office of the Unitary Police Service.

The office received 2,018 reports from Games of Fortune Operators, the official category covering casino operators, in the January to June period, up from 1,856 in the same period of 2025, according to data released on July 7th.

Sands China

Gaming remained by far the largest source of suspicious transaction reports, accounting for 73.3 percent of the total in the first half of 2026. That was slightly lower than the 73.8 percent share recorded a year earlier, despite the increase in the absolute number of reports.

Overall, the office received 2,753 suspicious transaction reports in the first six months of 2026, up 9.5 percent from 2,515 in the prior-year period. The authority said the change was ‘mainly due to the increase in the number of STRs reported by the gaming sector’.

Reports from financial institutions and insurance companies rose to 526, representing 19.1 percent of the total, while reports from other institutions increased to 209, or 7.6 percent.

During the period, the Financial Intelligence Office disseminated 54 suspicious transaction reports to the Public Prosecutions Office.

City of Dreams Macau launches House of Dancing Water backstage tour

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City of Dreams Macau is adding a paid backstage tour to House of Dancing Water from July 15th, extending one of Macau’s flagship non-gaming attractions beyond the main performance. 

The launch comes as the aquatic production approaches its one-millionth audience since resuming performances in May 2025.

Since returning on May 7th, 2025, the show has delivered more than 450 performances and is expected to reach the audience milestone this summer, Melco said in a press release. The standalone backstage tour is priced at MOP500 ($62) per person, while the combined show and backstage tour package starts from MOP888 ($110).

The approximately 30-minute tour will run on days with 2 performances, after the final show, with a scheduled start time of 9:15pm, depending on the exact show end time.

The route begins at the VVIP box or Golden Circle seating area and extends to the underground diving area, giving visitors a look at the daily workflows of professional divers and maintenance teams. Guests will also see how major props, including the Golden Boat and Dream Pagoda, operate, and access the 17 million-liter pool, equivalent to more than 5 Olympic-sized swimming pools.

The show first opened in September 2010 and was later suspended during the COVID-19 period before returning in May 2025 with a refreshed production.

Melco said the tour is intended to strengthen House of Dancing Water’s position as one of the resort’s key entertainment offerings.

Sands China

House of Dancing Water Backstage Tour detailed table

Tour Duration:Approximately 30 minutes
Tour Time:Applies to 2 shows days after the final show and begins at 21:15 (depends on the exact show end time).
Tour Price:‘House of Dancing Water’ Backstage Tour: MOP 500 per person‘House of Dancing Water’ Show & Backstage Tour Package: Starting from MOP 888 per person
Booking Channels:City of Dreams Macau official website: https://www.cityofdreamsmacau.com/en/offers/house-of-dancing-water-backstage-tour, House of Dancing Water Box Office, Travel Agency.
Admission Requirements:Participants must be aged 12 or above. Guests under 18 must be accompanied by a parent or legal guardian.

Eeze expands European footprint with new Bucharest hub

Eeze, the next-generation casino supplier, has announced the official opening of its new Bucharest office at AFI Park Floreasca, marking a significant milestone in the company’s continued international growth strategy.

The official opening of the 1,200 sqm facility took place on 29 June, following the successful completion of the project and the relocation of employees into the new space. The Bucharest hub is home to Eeze’s technical teams and will support the company’s continued growth across Europe.

The office represents one of Eeze’s three major international hubs alongside its headquarters in Malta and its UK operations in London. The move forms part of the company’s wider growth plans as it continues to expand its workforce and product offering.

Eeze currently employs more than 900 people across Europe, with its Romanian team standing over 60 employees and growing. The company is actively recruiting across a range of engineering and corporate roles as it expands its presence in Bucharest.

Lai Fatt Chiang, CEO, Eeze
Lai Fatt Chiang

The new office provides the space needed to support Eeze’s growing Bucharest team and future expansion plans. It also reinforces Romania’s importance within the company’s wider European operations.

Lai Fatt Chiang, Chief Executive Officer at Eeze, said: “The opening of our Bucharest office is an important milestone for Eeze and reflects our long-term commitment to Romania. What began as a strategic expansion project has now become a thriving operational hub that plays a huge role in our global business. We have been extremely impressed by the quality of talent available in Bucharest and look forward to continuing our growth here.”