Last year’s inaugural edition of the SBC Rio exceeded all expectations. With a projected attendance of 3,000 attendees and actual numbers surpassing 4,000, the event set a strong precedent for growth.
In 2025, the event will move to its new, bigger home at Riocentro, covering an area of 50,000 square meters and hosting over 15,000 delegates.
According to its most recent consolidated financial statements, the casino generated KRW70.42 billion ($48.24 million) in revenue for January, reflecting a rise of 1 percent from December’s revenue of KRW69.74 billion ($47.7 million).
However, this figure represents 2.3 percent decrease compared to January 2024, when revenues were KRW72.11 billion ($49.4 million).
Analyzing the revenue breakdown, table games contributed KRW65.76 billion ($45 million), down 0.3 percent from the prior month as well as dropping 2.2 percent year-on-year. Revenue from machine gaming rose significantly during the month, totaling KRW4.6 billion ($3.2 million), down by 4.5 percent yearly but rising by 24.4 percent month-on-month.
Currently, the company is developing a $400 million flagship hotel project, set to begin construction in the first quarter of 2025, with an opening scheduled for 2028. This move is part of a revamped strategy aimed at attracting more international high-rollers to its properties.
Brazil’s premier sports betting and gaming event will take place in Rio de Janeiro on 25-27 February 2025.
Late last year, the SOFTSWISS Game Aggregator – the largest content hub in the iGaming industry – secured Brazilian certification, becoming one of the first in the market to achieve this landmark. The Game Aggregator also holds certification in Peru, opening further opportunities for operators from that region to explore SOFTSWISS solutions at SBC Summit Rio 2025.
SOFTSWISS is actively expanding its presence in Latin America. Since last year, Rubens Barrichello, the company’s Non-Executive Director in LatAm, has been helping the company develop a market strategy tailored to the local legislation specifics and gaming preferences.
SOFTSWISS will bring its networking lounge zone to the SBC Summit Rio expo, providing a dedicated negotiation area where clients and partners can meet the team and discuss prospects for collaboration.
Carla Dualib, Regional Business Development Manager in Latin America at SOFTSWISS said: “SBC Summit Rio will bring together industry leaders, experts, and major market players of the booming Brazilian market. We look forward to reconnecting with old friends and forging new partnerships there to lay the groundwork for upcoming collaborations. It’s an exciting time for the Brazilian iGaming sector, and we’re thrilled to unveil our fully certified Game Aggregator to local operators.”
During SBC Summit Rio, local SOFTSWISS representatives will share their expertise on the near-term outlook of the Brazilian iGaming market. Carla Dualib will be among the speakers at a panel discussion on the topic ‘Bet on Esports: Today’s Trends vs Tomorrow’s Regulations’. She will offer insights into how to address challenges and achieve success in Brazil’s evolving iGaming landscape.
Partners and clients seeking to cooperate or discuss mutual projects with SOFTSWISS can book a meeting with the team here.
According to the consolidated financial statements, the casino generated KRW29.42 billion ($20.15 million) in revenue for January, a rise of 24.7 percent from December’s revenue of KRW23.59 billion ($16.6 million).
This figure reflects a significant 23 percent increase compared to January 2024, when revenues were KRW23.87 billion ($16.36 million).
The data comes from a filing by Lotte Tour Development, the operator of Jeju Dream Tower, with the Korea Stock Exchange.
Breaking down the casino revenue further, table games accounted for KRW28.14 billion ($15.17 million) in revenue, up 27 percent from the previous month and rising by 23.7 percent yearly.
Machine gaming revenue, however, fell by 11.5 percent from the previous month to KRW1.28 billion ($880,000), showing a 13 percent increase compared to the same month last year.
Visitors at Spintec’s booth also enjoyed the fun of the new, fully GLI certified flagship game called Galactic Spin. It is designed to enhance and deepen the engagement in the game and offers the possibility of large payouts on top of the normal roulette hold. And the best part? The game offers three additional draws with bet multipliers, three tiers of Jackpots, and super fun free spins. These take place after the bets are closed, making the tension-filled pause before the ball drops the most thrilling part of the game.
Spintec’s new Craps extension to the Charisma line was one of the greatest showstoppers at their booth this year. Apart from the proprietary solution that prevents dice from landing on top of each other, the game now also includes a fun new shoot button. This is a great game feature where the shooter is selected clockwise among play stations or following live game rules, continuing until a 7-out or point is hit.
The players enjoy this feature immensely and their engagement with the game skyrockets when they are selected as the shooter. The solution comes complete with a vibrant animated topper and LED lighting and can be adapted to four, six or eight play stations.
Spintec also created an exciting casino atmosphere right at the show with a live tournament featuring several different games, including Galactic spin and live roulette. The Charisma line, arranged in an amphitheatre setup like that, can feature live, automated, and virtual games, accommodating over 200 players with a full selection of games and endless entertainment.
Spintec’s flagship Charisma solution with five playing stations is as adaptive as they come and can feature a host of different games. It was possible to experience a virtual Blackjack solution at the show, but also a fantastic new addition: the virtual Baccarat.
And finally, Spintec garnered a lot of interest with their latest set of Charisma stand-alone virtual machines for individual players. These can be used in a single or multigame setting, where the player can choose the game they want to participate in from a wide selection of virtual, automated or live games. This makes it one of Spintec’s most versatile products, which now comes in four different attractive formats. The games are played on the touch screen with an intuitive interface, while the player can immerse themselves in the games with the help of additional single 43” monitor, or a combination of one, two or even three 27” ones.
One branch is the Talisay, Cebu operation, while the second is located in Tagum, Davao.
“Given the sustained financial strain, continuing operations at these sites is no longer feasible,” indicated PAGCOR Chairman Alejandro H. Tengco in a statement.
PAGCOR indicated that the Cebu casino operation had seen losses of PHP49.56 million ($844,000) in 2024, as ‘the bleeding worsened’ from 2023’s results.
Meanwhile, the Casino Filipino Grand Regal operation saw a PHP36.93 million ($630,000) loss in 2024, up from PHP31.56 million ($538,000) in the previous year.
The authorities indicate that no employees will be displaced due to the closures.
“While our decision was driven by mounting financial losses, safeguarding the welfare of affected employees through job reassignment and comprehensive support programs is our top priority,” noted Tengco.
In total, there are 42 employees from Casino Filipino Talisay that will be transferred to other branches in Casino Filipino Cebu, while 33 employees of Casino Filipino Tagum will be deployed around properties in Davao.
“We are incredibly proud to enter Brazil, one of the most dynamic and promising gaming markets in the region,” shared Zhana Aleksandrova, Business Development Manager for Spain & Latin America at 7777 gaming. “This certification opens the door to collaborating with local operators and introducing Brazilian players to our innovative and engaging games. We’re excited to become part of this vibrant gaming landscape.”
The certification highlights 7777 gaming’s dedication to meeting local regulatory requirements and delivering top-quality gaming content tailored to diverse audiences. Players in Brazil can now enjoy fan-favorite titles like Crazy 100 Bucks, Candy Anyways, and Devil’s Deal Soul for Sale, all known for their captivating designs and immersive gameplay. The first pack of 20 thrilling titles is already certified and ready to be integrated into the local online operators’ platforms.
This expansion into Brazil is part of 7777 gaming’s broader strategy to establish itself as a leading provider in regulated markets worldwide. With its creative game portfolio and commitment to excellence, the company is set to make a strong impression in Brazil and beyond.
Stay tuned for more updates as 7777 gaming continues to bring its cutting-edge gaming experiences to players across the globe.
Meet 7777 gaming team at SBC Summit Rio, 25-27 February 2025, Riocentro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
The figures reflect a marginal increase of 0.3 percent compared to December, but only 73.1 percent of January 2019 levels.
According to Seaport Research Partners analyst Vitaly Umansky, the early part of January “showed promise”, but momentum dwindled leading into the Chinese New Year holiday, which began on January 28th.
The average daily GGR for the month was MOP589 million ($73.4 million), consistent with December’s figures. Notably, January 2025 had the same number of weekends as the previous year, with weekends typically generating over 20 percent more GGR than midweek days.
The eight-day Chinese New Year holiday is crucial for Macau’s gaming sector, though past results during the holiday have been mixed. For instance, CNY 2019 contributed only 2 percent of that year’s GGR, while CNY 2024 accounted for 2.7 percent.
Early reports indicate that Macau welcomed 821,000 visitors during the first five days of the holiday, with approximately 74 percent coming from mainland China. This figure is 9 percent lower than the same period in 2024, which saw a high average of nearly 170,000 visitors per day.
Umansky estimates that the 2025 Chinese New Year holiday could yield about MOP800 million ($99.7 million) per day, totaling MOP6.4 billion (nearly $800 million), roughly 2.6 percent of the annual GGR projection for 2025.
Looking ahead, the analyst forecasts February’s GGR to be slightly better than January, estimating MOP18.5 billion ($2.3 billion), reflecting a year-on-year increase of 0.1 percent and a month-on-month rise of 1.3 percent.
Despite the weaker-than-expected January performance and the soft start to the Chinese New Year, Umansky maintains a growth forecast of nearly 7 percent for Macau’s GGR in 2025, supported by favorable policies from the Chinese government and improvements in consumer confidence.
In 2024, China introduced new visa policies aimed at boosting visitation to Macau, including faster processing and multi-entry options for residents of nearby Zhuhai. This policy is expected to enhance visitor numbers from key provinces, particularly Guangdong, which accounts for over 53 percent of mainland visitors to Macau.
As the gaming industry navigates challenges, including a crackdown on illegal money exchange, Seaport remained cautiously optimistic about the recovery of Macau’s gaming sector and its potential for growth in the coming years.
This increase translates to an uptick in shareholding from around 182 million shares to nearly 213 million.
The backdrop to this development is the troubled status of Star Entertainment, which recently announced the sale of The Star Event Center, as the company acknowledged that ‘there remains material uncertainty as to the group’s ability to continue’.
In its most recent financial report, The Star confirmed that it had available cash amounting to AU$78 million ($48.5 million) as of December 31st, 2024 but outlined concerns it would be unable to meet conditions to raise more funding.
The company’s constitution imposes restrictions that prevent any single individual from holding more than 10 percent voting power within the organization, complicating potential future acquisitions.
Even the recent appearance of Macau-based petrochem mogul Xinchun Wang as the second-largest investor in the group – holding 6.52 percent of voting power, and attempts to negotiate with state governments on reducing the tax burden, have failed to alleviate concerns that The Star might not pull through.
This grand prize for the lottery game organized by the Hong Kong Jockey Club marks the largest in the game’s history.
The winning numbers drawn were 14, 18, 30, 36, 40, and 42, with an extra number of 1. The lucky ticket was purchased for HK$10 ($$1.28) at a betting branch of the Hong Kong Jockey Club.
In addition to the record jackpot, twelve other winners claimed the second prize, each taking home over HK$1.2 million ($153,000). A total of 536.5 winning third prize tickets were also issued, with each winner receiving HK$72,500 ($9,300).
The excitement surrounding the draw was palpable, as hopeful buyers formed long queues outside betting centers.
On February 1st, 2025, a 60-meter line was observed outside the Hong Kong Jockey Club’s Central branch, with staff managing the crowd.
Asia Gaming Brief (AGB) is a news, market intelligence, events, and networking company focused on Asia Pacific’s rapidly expanding gaming industry.
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