Macau Grand Prix expected to attract 500,000 visitors over four days

Macau

Viviana Chan

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November 12, 2025

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Macau Grand Prix expected to attract 500,000 visitors over four days

The 72nd Macau Grand Prix, set to take place from November 13th to 16th, is expected to draw around 500,000 visitors to the city, according to Macao Government Tourism Office (MGTO) Director Maria Helena de Senna Fernandes.

She said the influx of visitors would not only boost local tourism but also drive travel to neighboring Hengqin and other parts of the Greater Bay Area.

Speaking to local media, Senna Fernandes noted that Macau had already seen strong visitor numbers during the ongoing 15th National Games, with daily arrivals averaging about 90,000 — in line with government forecasts.

In an interview last week, Senna Fernandes said hotel occupancy during the race period was expected to remain above 90 percent, similar to previous years. She also voiced confidence that Macau would achieve its 2025 target of 38 to 39 million visitor arrivals.

Meanwhile, Sports Bureau Acting President and Grand Prix Organizing Committee Coordinator Lei Si Leng confirmed that all preparations for the event have been completed. Lei said the ticket sales have been “very strong,” with nearly all tickets for the November 15th and 16th race days sold out, and only a limited number still available at the stands.

Tickets for the November 13th and 14th practice and qualifying sessions have also seen robust demand, with most expected to sell out before race day.

Lei added that enthusiasm for this year’s Grand Prix is particularly high, as the event coincides with the 15th National Games, creating a vibrant and festive atmosphere across the city.

Daily Asia Gaming eBrief: Aristocrat fiscal 2025 profit tops $1 billion

News

AGBrief Editorial

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November 12, 2025

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Daily Asia Gaming eBrief: Aristocrat fiscal 2025 profit tops $1 billion

Good Morning. Maintaining your status as a global gaming giant can be challenging. But that hasn’t seemed to be an issue for Aristocrat, as its latest fiscal year results show that it achieved a whopping $1 billion in profit. Strategic moves, highly in-demand cabinets, social gaming, and strategic thinking are pushing the company towards more gains, with much invested in R&D. Looking to the Ph i lippines, GGR was virtually flat during the third quarter, with significant drops in casino revenue, while e-Games continued to show growth, despite the pressure from legislative and commercial changes.

What you need to know

Aristocrat smashes fiscal 2025, with profit topping $1 billion, as it diversifies its portfolio and expands its options.
PAGCOR sees slight drop in GGR in 3Q25, despite a boost from the E-Games segment, as casino revenue falls.

On the radar

Japan plans first visa fee hike since 1978 amid record tourist surge.
Far East Consortium explores partial sale of Ritz-Carlton Perth stake to AMTD.
Century Ent. signs Vietnam casino LOI, reports revenue from gaming JV.
GKL 3Q25 operating profit surges 200% on stronger hold rates, visitor gains
Experts urge action as online gambling grips Japanese youth.

AGB Intelligence

RESULTS

Aristocrat profit tops $1B for fiscal 2025

Aristocrat has a lot to be proud of for fiscal 2025, ending September 30th. The group boasted a profit that topped $1 billion, with revenue over $4 billion and EBITDA topping $2.6 billion. This was boosted by the inclusion of NeoGames in its portfolio, as well as strategic decisions that have helped elevate the brand not only in APAC but also in the highly lucrative North American market. All eyes are on expansion in key markets, with solid financials to back the next moves.

Industry Updates

GR8 Tech highlights market‑leading capabilities at SiGMA Europe 2025.
Blask reaches 100‑country milestone with strategic new expansions.
Fast Track partners with Atomo Gaming to strengthen LatAm presence.

Corporate Spotlight

90-Day Playbook for Winning Asia’s Gaming Market | GR8 Tech

Every operator can launch, but few can lead. In Asia, leadership is won in the 90 days after go-live, when payments feel effortless, content resonates locally, and every touchpoint builds trust.

INTELLIGENCE | ASEAN | CAREERS

A recent case that drew national attention involved a 15-year-old first-year high school student from Sendai who told Tokyo’s Metropolitan Police Department (MPD), “I wanted to have a lot of money so I could keep gambling in online casinos.” The boy was arrested in October for allegedly defrauding a man in his 30s of around JPY1.34 million ($8,800) through a romance scam.

According to investigators, the student started gambling online during junior high school after becoming interested in smartphone games. He joined an online chat group after seeing social media posts about people “making easy money” through online gambling. A member of that group advised him to raise funds first, leading the boy to follow instructions from an online manual titled How to earn ¥500,000 a month and begin conducting romance scams. He reportedly posed as a female college student and swindled more than 30 men, using the proceeds – several million yen – to continue gambling online.

Authorities say minors typically buy points to play on casino sites, but since they cannot obtain credit cards, many instead use cryptocurrencies purchased illegally from unregistered sellers. The MPD has so far referred 15 individuals aged 13 to 21 from Tokyo and nine other prefectures to prosecutors or child welfare centers for habitual gambling. One 13-year-old was found to have been gambling online since elementary school.

A National Police Agency (NPA) survey released in March estimated that about 3.37 million people in Japan had used online casinos, with roughly 180,000, or 5 percent, aged between 10 and 19. Many reportedly started gambling out of curiosity, boredom, or a desire to socialize online.

According to Toshiaki Tsuneoka, associate professor at Showa Medical University and a psychiatrist specializing in gambling addiction, minors are especially prone to addiction because of underdeveloped impulse control and limited outlets for stress. The same NPA survey showed that nearly 70 percent of minors who had gambled online recognized they were addicted, higher than the 60 percent average across all age groups.

“Because online gambling is so easily accessible through a smartphone, there’s a real danger that children could become addicted before their parents even notice,” Tsuneoka warned. “We need stronger efforts to raise awareness that addiction can be treated through medical care and self-help groups.”

Regarding the growing electronic games segment, revenue increased by some 17.4 percent, to PHP41.95 billion. However, the Chairman of the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation (PAGCOR) noted that this was largely driven by strong results in July which tapered off in August and September due to the mandatory delinking of e-wallets from legitimate gaming platforms.

Cleaning up the industry

“The delinking of e-wallets resulted in a short-term decline in activity toward the latter part of the quarter,” stated Alejandro H. Tengco. The executive furthered that “these measures are vital to protect players and ensure secure, transparent transactions.”

PAGCOR sees slight drop in GGR in 3Q25, despite boost from e-Games segment

Tengco has been a strong proponent of keeping the online sector alive, but has faced increased political pressure which has also resulted in PAGCOR upping the ante to eliminate illegal online operators.

“These unauthorized platforms do not follow responsible gaming standards, do not pay taxes, and put players at risk of data theft and fraud,” noted Tengco.

The executive urged the public to avoid any illegal sites and only engage “with PAGCOR-licensed platforms”.

Casino revenue drops in 3Q25

Looking beyond e-Games, figures were not spectacular, with licensed casino revenue falling by some 10.2 percent, to PHP50.72 billion. Regarding PAGCOR’s self-operated casinos, under the Casino Filipino brand, revenue was down by 11. 6 percent, to PHP3.22 billion.

The Casino Filipino properties in total brought in some 3.4 percent of the overall GGR during the period, with licensed casinos accounting for 48.2 percent.

Bingo revenues also slid during the quarter, down by some 16.2 percent yearly, to PHP3.79 billion.

Optimism despite the downturn

_{Alejandro H. Tengco, Chairman of PAGCOR}

While the results did indicate a downward trend, PAGCOR’s Chairman was upbeat about the future possibilities of the industry, highlighting how punters are adapting to the new rules regarding e-wallets.

He also indicated that authorities are strengthening enforcement actions to weed out illegal gambling operators, helping boost operations for legitimate operators within the space.

“The figures reflect an industry that is adjusting to necessary safeguards,” noted the executive.

The group highlighted that it benefited from the first full-year of inclusion of NeoGames, after it finalized the acquisition of the content and technology solutions company in April of 2024. The company provides content, tech platforms and services encompassing iLottery, iGaming and Online Sports Betting.

Looking to sales, gaming sales were up by 11 percent, ‘driven by growth in units in North America and ANZ (Australia and New Zealand)’. Overall gaming operations grew by some 4,100 units, which the group notes grew its market share to 43 percent.

Baron boosts results

Buffalo Mega Stampede on the Baron Portrait by Aristocrat Gaming

This was boosted by strong shipping of the group’s Baron cabinet in the second half of the year.

Looking specifically at ANZ, there was a 43 percent ship share increase for the year and a 52 percent during just the second half, largely driven by the launch of the Baron Upright cabinet, alongside ‘strong game performance’ during the six-month tail-end of the year. ROW (Rest of World) sales, focusing on APAC, saw an 11.2 percent uptick in revenue, hitting AU$813.7 million ($531.37 million), with profit rising by some 86 percent, to AU$343.5 million ($224.31 million).

Looking to the North America market, the group notes that ‘clear revenue leadership was maintained’ due to the ‘combination of strong ASPs and 31 percent ship share’.

The group’s social gaming arm also saw strong gains during the period, in what it called a ‘transformational year for Product Madness, with refreshed leadership and more effective integration into the enterprise’.

The segment outperformed the market, seeing bookings growth of 5 percent compared to overall industry decline of 9 percent, demonstrating effective player engagement and resilience.

The group notes that its margin expansion in the segment ‘reflects operational efficiency and an increase in direct-to-consumer sales, resulting in lower overhead and platform costs’.

Direct-to-consumer revenue increased from 7 percent to 16 percent of social casino revenue for the group during the period.

Interactive

Looking to the group’s Interactive arm, revenue was up by a significant 53.8 percent, hitting AU$344.3 million ($224.84 million), with profit rising by 87 percent, to AU$130.7 million ($85.35 million). The group highlighted that this was impacted by strong operating costs previously included in D&D, which impacted its profit margin.

However, it did not that its ‘consolidation of remote game server technology has enabled growth in Content in 2H25, with 74 unique games launched over the year’.

EBITDA growth for the segment during the year amounted to 87.4 percent, reaching AU$134 million ($87.51 million).

Forward look

Looking ahead, the group is optimistic to maintain ‘continued revenue and market share growth from Aristocrat Gaming, supported by resilient underlying GGR growth in key markets’.

Looking to Product Madness, expectations are for ‘continued market share growth, with an increasing contribution from DTC (direct to consumer).

Regarding Interactive, there is ‘accelerating performance […] toward our FY29 $1 billion ($653 million) revenue target through further scaling of Content and investing in iLottery to support broader market access in North America and Europe’.

Over three days, the GR8 team logged 140 qualified meetings, which included sessions with existing clients that opened new opportunities and first-time conversations with operators and potential clients. The team also closed a deal on day 3 and advanced a high-potential MENA operator to late-stage discussions.

Sergey Ghazaryan, GR8 Tech — _{Sergey Ghazaryan}

“SiGMA was incredibly successful for GR8 Tech, which confirms we’re on the right track and proves how our Platform for Champions stands out in a crowded field. Our Heavyweight Lounge became the meeting place for operators who want to go deep on strategy, margins, and market moves with purposeful, energetic, outcome-focused conversations,” said Sergey Ghazaryan, Chief Revenue Officer at GR8 Tech.

SiGMA Central Europe showcased the Heavyweight Club philosophy, inspired by GR8 Tech’s partnership with Ready To Fight by Oleksandr Usyk: champions create champions. By pairing athlete-grade preparation with operator-grade technology, GR8 Tech has grown a community of operators aligned by a code: launch first, perform under pressure, and compound advantage through the right partner.

Big Stage Energy from Behind The Gloves Experience

Yevhen Krazhan, GR8 Tech — _{Yevhen Krazhan}

During the three-day conference, over 50 visitors participated in 15-minute pad-work sessions led by Lee McFarland, a British military veteran and iGaming consultant. The short power workouts transformed the GR8 Tech stand into a hub of energy that converted into productive business conversations.

“Performance is something you live, so we built an environment where attendees could experience it. Bringing Behind The Gloves to our booth embodied the discipline and drive we built into our technology,” added Yevhen Krazhan, Chief Sales Officer at GR8 Tech.

GR8 Tech’s team left Rome with disciplined follow-through and a full calendar of next steps. The Lounge and “Behind The Gloves” drove high-quality conversations, and the company will continue to improve the experience for champions at future events.

Fast Track is the industry leader in providing modern state-of-the-art tech stacks to work with real-time data and AI, including proprietary self-learning technologies to maximise relevance for its customers. Fast Track CRM integrates seamlessly with gaming platforms, distribution channels, and bonus engines, utilising real-time data to enable targeted campaigns and dynamic, personalised player journeys. The company recently launched Fast Track AI, a natural language platform that enables users to execute campaign creation, automation, and deep data analysis through conversational inputs.

Atomo Gaming is a Spain-based technology company that develops gaming platforms for online and land-based operations. The company’s “Alborán” platform provides multi-balance wallets, online casino and sportsbook functionality, retail integration, risk management, business intelligence, and game aggregation capabilities.

Ramón Monrós, CEO and Co-founder of Atomo Gaming, said: “This partnership enables operators on the Atomo Gaming platform to access advanced CRM technology that addresses the specific needs of Latin American markets. Fast Track’s natural language capabilities allow our operators to implement player engagement strategies efficiently, supporting their growth in the region.”

Through this partnership, operators using the Atomo Gaming platform could gain access to Fast Track’s advanced CRM capabilities, including automation, analytics, and AI-driven player engagement tools. The integration will enable Atomo Gaming’s operator network to implement sophisticated CRM strategies through Fast Track’s natural language interface.

Simon Lidzén, CEO and Co-Founder of Fast Track, added: “Latin America represents one of the most dynamic and exciting iGaming markets globally, and partnering with Atomo Gaming allows us to be part of that growth story. Together, we’re bringing technology that will fundamentally change how operators engage with their players. This collaboration represents our commitment to making advanced CRM accessible to operators everywhere, empowering them to compete and succeed in their markets.”

Bergman’s appointment comes as Tequity continues to accelerate the growth of its RGS platform. The supplier recently expanded the ecosystem by integrating its full suite of solutions onto the Elantil Marketplace, creating new opportunities for developers and operators to access and deploy content more efficiently.

Tequity has also partnered with game development company Print Studios, which is now creating exclusive new titles powered by the RGS, strengthening the platform’s reach and reputation in the iGaming space.

Tanja Bergman, Head of Growth at Tequity, said: “Joining Tequity at this pivotal moment in the growth of the RGS platform is incredibly exciting. I look forward to helping studios unlock the full potential of the RGS ecosystem, driving innovation and delivering high-quality, engaging content to players worldwide.”

By continuing to enhance its RGS infrastructure and team with the appointment of Tanja Bergman, Tequity is reinforcing its position as one of the most dynamic technology providers in iGaming.

Krzysztof Opałka, CEO at Tequity, added: “We are thrilled to welcome Tanja to the team as we continue to expand our RGS platform globally. Her extensive experience in game production and operational leadership will be invaluable in enabling our partners to unlock the full capabilities of the RGS product.”

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs aims to align Japan’s visa fees with those of Europe and the United States. Proceeds from the increase will partly fund measures to reduce the strain of excessive tourism on local communities and infrastructure. Currently, a single-entry visa costs JPY3,000 ($19.5), while a multiple-entry visa costs JPY6,000 ($39) — both substantially lower than rates charged by many Western nations.

In parallel, the ruling Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) is discussing a threefold increase in Japan’s “departure tax,” levied on travelers leaving the country, from JPY1,000 ($6.50) to JPY3,000 ($19.5) per person. The higher levy is intended to support sustainable tourism initiatives and strengthen destination management.

The policy shift follows Japan’s rapid tourism recovery. The country welcomed 25.06 million foreign visitors in 2023, soaring 47.1 percent to 36.87 million in 2024 — surpassing the pre-pandemic peak of 31.9 million in 2019. In the first nine months of 2025 alone, arrivals reached 31.65 million, up 17.7 percent year-on-year, putting the country on pace for another record-breaking year.

Local governments have also begun tightening regulations to mitigate overtourism’s impact. Kyoto City, for instance, plans to raise its accommodation tax from March 2026, with rates varying by hotel class and reaching up to JPY10,000 ($65) per person per night.

The debate over sustainable tourism comes as Japan’s integrated resort (IR) development gains momentum. The country’s first casino resort, MGM Osaka, is currently under construction and scheduled to open in autumn 2030. The $10 billion project, led by MGM Resorts International and Orix Corp., will feature gaming facilities, hotels, and entertainment venues on Osaka’s Yumeshima Island.

Xpoint appoints Shaan Devaraj as Chief Technology Officer to strengthen product portfolio

Elsewhere

AGBrief Editorial

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November 11, 2025

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Xpoint appoints Shaan Devaraj as Chief Technology Officer to strengthen product portfolio

Xpoint, a leading geolocation and compliance technology company, has strengthened its leadership team with the appointment of Shaan Devaraj as Chief Technology Officer (CTO), as the company continues to strengthen its product offering and expand its presence across key global regulated markets.

Devaraj brings over three decades of experience and has extensive expertise in geolocation technology, securing a series of landmark patents in the field. In addition, Devaraj has a track record in software engineering, cybersecurity, Cloud infrastructure and service-oriented architecture (SOA).

He is also widely recognised as a visionary technology executive and co-inventor of the world’s first Remote Gaming Server.

Devaraj has held multiple C-level and senior positions in the iGaming industry. Most recently, he served as CTO at United Interactive LLC, where he launched the iGaming platform Symphony and the B2C brand Bet United.

Prior to that, Devaraj spent 14 years at industry giant IGT’s Double Down Interactive, where he held several senior technology roles, including Director of Software Development and Architecture. During his tenure, he drove significant growth and innovation in online and mobile gaming.

Manu Gambhir, CEO of Xpoint, said: “We are thrilled to welcome Shaan to Xpoint, bringing his extensive experience in the iGaming industry and in developing innovative geolocation solutions for regulated markets. He joins us at an exciting time for the company as we continue the recent commercial momentum.”

At Xpoint, Devaraj will work closely with CEO Manu Gambhir and the wider executive team, in guiding the engineering team with an emphasis on the continued development of geolocation technology.

Shaan Devaraj, CTO of Xpoint, added: “It’s an honor to join Xpoint as CTO. I look forward to helping the company grow by strengthening our technology, supporting our teams, and turning our big ideas into real results. I’m also excited to collaborate with the leadership team in continuing their commitment to pushing boundaries.”

Macau Grand Prix expected to attract 500,000 visitors over four days

The 72nd Macau Grand Prix, set to take place from November 13th to 16th, is expected to draw around 500,000 visitors to the city, according to Macao Government Tourism Office (MGTO) Director Maria Helena de Senna Fernandes.

Daily Asia Gaming eBrief: Aristocrat fiscal 2025 profit tops $1 billion

What you need to know

On the radar