Good morning. The Star is on tenterhooks, waiting to find out whether it will be able to maintain its casino license in Sydney following the Bell Two inquiry. And while losing its license is a major possibility, a former regulator questions whether it might avoid such an economic disaster by being deemed ‘too big to fail’. No matter what, the company is likely to face the music for its actions this month. Meanwhile, things aren’t looking so bright for Okada Manila, as its third-quarter results saw both yearly and quarterly slowdowns, despite machine revenue faring fairly better than VIP or mass.
Altenar, a leading sportsbook provider is bringing its global expertise to Asia, looking to expand its operations. Since 2011, Altenar has powered hundreds of online sports betting sites worldwide and is a major B2B provider in Europe and Latin America licensed markets.
For global betting company 1xBet, Asia is a key market for several reasons. This is why 1xBet pays special attention to the Asian market and actively promotes its sports betting platform and the most popular gambling games on the continent.
SkyCity Entertainment Group has announced that the courts have denied its appeal over whether loyalty points converted to gaming machine play revenue should not be subject to the casino duty at its Adelaide casino.
‘The High Court has confirmed the Court of Appeal’s interpretation of the Agreement finding that credits on gaming machines arising from the conversion of loyalty points, when played by customers, are to be included in gaming revenue for the purpose of calculating casino duty at the SkyCity Adelaide casino,’ notes the company.
Due to the judgment, and a former one that was not appealed, SkyCity has already set aside AU$13.1 million ($8.75 million) ‘in relation to the potential exposure to additional casino duty payable’. This is, however, an estimate based on casino duty returns filed up to January 2024.
On top of this, SkyCity could be facing a further interest payment ‘which could be up to around AU$25.3 million ($16.9 million)’. This relates to SkyCity’s appeal on the interest clause in the Agreement, which was also denied by the High Court, ruling in favor of the Treasurer of South Australia.
‘The question of the amount of interest payable on outstanding duty remains to be determined by a single Judge of the Supreme Court of South Australia at a later date,’ notes the company.
Up until June 30th, the company had not set aside a provision for the interest payment due to the ‘range of potential outcomes’.
Speaking of the matter, SkyCity’s Chief Executive Officer Jason Walbridge noted that “This is a long running matter involving highly technical tax issues regarding the calculation of casino duty […] We look forward to the resolution of this matter and will continue to work with RevenueSA to achieve this”.
SkyCity Adelaide, AustraliaSkyCity Auckland, New ZealandSkyCity Hamilton, New ZealandSkyCity Queenstown, New Zealand
SkyCity Entertainment Group operates one casino in Australia and three casinos in New Zealand (Auckland, Hamilton, and Queenstown). It also offers online gaming to New Zealanders via the SkyCity Online Casino, based out of Malta.
Results for Okada Manila showed a significant slowdown on both a yearly and quarterly basis in the third quarter, heavily affecting the group’s EBITDA for the period.
According to results published by operator Tiger Resort, and Leisure and Entertainment (TRLEI) on Tuesday, the yearly comparisons saw the largest drops, with VIP revenue falling by 44.3 percent, to PHP2.46 billion ($42.62 million). This lessened to a 15 percent reduction when compared to the previous quarter.
Mass revenue similarly suffered a hit, dropping by 40.2 percent yearly and 17.2 percent quarterly, to PHP2.45 billion ($42.44 million).
Gaming machine revenue during the third quarter fared slightly better, with a quarterly uptick of 11.5 percent, to PHP3.31 billion ($57.21 million). However, yearly the figure was still down by 13.37 percent.
Okada Manila casino floor
These contributed to an overall drop in gross gaming revenue (GGR) for TRLEI (a subsidiary of Universal Entertainment) of one-third annually and 6.8 percent quarterly, to PHP8.23 billion ($142.3 million).
EBITDA fell by 69 percent on an annual basis and 49 percent quarterly, strongly impacted by the gaming revenue decrease, to PHP1.09 billion ($18.93 million).
This is despite the hotel occupancy rate rising to 87 percent, up from 78.9 percent in 2Q24 and 81.4 percent in the third quarter of last year.
Figures for the first nine months of the year saw gross gaming revenue fall by 26.6 percent, to PHP25.84 billion ($446.82 million), on the back of strong drops in VIP revenue – which fell by 40.4 percent yearly, to PHP7.95 billion ($137.57 million).
Mass revenue was down by 18.9 percent yearly over the three quarters, hitting nearly PHP8.38 billion ($144.92 million).
Gaming machine revenue was the strongest contributor in both 3Q24 and over the nine-month period. However, from the January through September period it still fell by 17.5 percent annually, to nearly PHP9.51 billion ($164.44 million).
The gaming figures contributed to a 24.5 percent drop in total revenue for the group during the nine-month period, at PHP28.75 billion ($497.3 million).
This also contributed to a fall of 44 percent in EBITDA, amounting to just PHP5.57 billion ($96.39 million) over the three quarters of this year.
Australia’s beleaguered gaming operator The Star has already been facing hardships but is likely to be facing more ahead, as the New South Wales Independent Casino Commission (NICC) will announce to address the findings of the Bell Two inquiry ‘and any subsequent disciplinary outcomes’ sometime this month.
The potentially most significant of these outcomes would be the cancellation of The Star Sydney’s casino license in New South Wales. The NICC issued the operator with a ‘show cause’ notice in mid-September aiming to give them the chance to prove that they deserve to maintain the license. This was answered on September 27th, but the contents aren’t public.
Peter Cohen, former Victoria gaming regulator, Director of Regulatory Affairs for The Agenda Group
For Peter Cohen, former Executive Commissioner and CEO of the Victorian Commission for Gambling Regulation, “the NICC’s decision needs to balance what is an appropriate penalty with what is best for the State of New South Wales”.
That being said, “disciplinary action taken in response to the current ‘show cause’ notice which is anything other than cancellation of Star’s Sydney casino license will likely be seen by some as further evidence that Star is considered “too big to fail” and is being given a third chance having failed to respond appropriately on its “second chance”.”
What could the NICC do?
The former gaming regulator and current Director of Regulatory Affairs for The Agenda Group points out that the NICC has multiple avenues, aside from or in combination with the cancellation of the Sydney casino license.
Imposition of a fine of up to AU$100 million ($66.7 million);
Amendment of the terms or conditions of the casino license;
Imposition of a requirement that a casino operator, or a close associate (Director or senior executive) of a casino operator, be given an enforceable undertaking to do or refrain from doing something.
Last, and less intense, would be the issue of a letter of censure to the casino operator.
Highly worthy of note, points out Cohen, is that “if more than one ground for disciplinary action is made out, the penalties referred to above can be imposed each time. Accordingly, a fine could be imposed multiple times for different breaches, each one of them being up to AU$100 million.”
Regarding the possible outcomes, Cohen notes that “what is more likely is a combination of a further suspension of the license due to the general unsuitability of the operator with the addition of significant fines for specific breaches such as the TICO fraud, the breaches of the three-hour limit and the failure to undertake proper source of funds and AML checks.”
What’s in question?
In its most recent financial results, The Star notes that the Bell Two inquiry ‘made findings and recommendations in relation to four areas of non-compliance which resulted in various breaches by The Star Sydney during 2023 and 2024’.
The NICC details that the four include ‘one that resulted in a cash fraud against The Star, a failure to run source of wealth checks on hundreds of members flagged as high risk, and fraudulent guest welfare entries that put already vulnerable customers at higher risk of harm.’
What was not mentioned explicitly by the NICC are statements by former Star Entertainment Chairman David Foster in correspondence to then Chief Executive Robbie Cooke that the state-appointed manager should be removed and that the state casino regulator be scrapped. Cooke even allegedly sent messages to Foster about “preparing for war”.
Regarding The Star’s lack of progress with a remediation plan and the choice “to attack the regulator and the manager appointed by the regulator,” Cohen notes “it is unclear what possessed the most senior of Star’s people to pursue such action – and it’s impossible to understand why they committed to doing so in writing. That they did both, though, confirms that the Star’s leadership at that critical time was inadequate to the company’s needs.”
Both Foster and Cooke have since left the company and Anne Ward now chairs the company while Steve McCann is CEO.
Cohen notes that the departure of Foster and Cooke “has probably pushed that penalty away for the time being”, but regulators tend to have long memories.
Financial woes
The regulatory issues facing The Star are also intrinsically tied to its financial issues. For its financial year ended June 30th, 2024, The Star registered a net loss of nearly AU$1.68 billion ($1.12 billion), higher than the revenue it generated in the same period.
Its cash assets amounted to AU$299.6 million ($200 million), versus total liabilities of AU$1.06 billion ($707 million).
Following the sale of its leasehold interest in the Treasury Casino building in Brisbane, the group aims to further dispose of non-core assets and continue to seek new loans to prop itself up.
*Interestingly, that hasn’t stopped some investors, such as JPMorgan – who acquired a stake on October 1st (after the financial results came out) granting it 5.47 percent voting power.
Any of the outcomes regarding The Star Sydney’s casino license outlined above “can have significant effects on Star’s bottom line,” notes Cohen.
“Even if Star Entertainment wanted to sell the Sydney casino asset, any potential purchasers should be mindful of Blackstone’s experience when buying Crown Resorts. Not only did Crown’s new owner have to pay a AU$450 million ($300 million) penalty for AML breaches, it was also stung with AU$250 million ($167 million) in fines imposed by the Victorian Gambling and Casino Control Commission for breaches by Crown which all occurred prior to Blackstone’s purchase of Crown,” notes Cohen.
“Any new owner of Star Entertainment or Star’s Sydney Casino may consider it unreasonable that they end up paying fines for the poor operating practices under previous ownership. However, the regulators consider that the entity that holds the license, irrespective of the ultimate beneficial owner, must be held accountable for any breaches of laws, regulations or directions,” points out the expert, noting Australian casino regulators “have always considered that the ability of shareholders to make a profit is not a relevant consideration as to the way a casino should be regulated”.
Misfortune “brought upon itself”
Crown Resorts, as outlined by numerous analysts to AGB previously, was much quicker and more effective in their response to regulators and remediation efforts. The result: both Crown Sydney and Crown Melbourne have their casino licenses back.
Crown’s work in complying with authorities was also noted when the fines against it by the financial regulator AUSTRAC and by the Victorian Gambling and Casino Control Commission (VGCCC) were leveled, helping to clarify their financial position. Plus, Crown was deemed suitable to retain the Sydney and Melbourne casino licenses.
“The return to suitability also strengthens Crown’s ability to negotiate with governments and regulators in all the States in which it has casinos. This is an essential operational requirement as it needs to be able to put forward its position on any proposed regulatory reform. On the other hand, Star’s continuing lack of suitability means it has to negotiate from a position of such weakness that it can barely negotiate at all,” opines the former head casino regulator.
In essence, states Cohen, “For Star it is a confluence of significantly damaging events, but it is misfortune that it has brought upon itself.”
Malaysian casino equipment supplier and distributor RGB International Bhd is optimistic about the casino equipment market over the next three to five years, expecting record profits this year.
The company’s growth is primarily driven by its strategic expansions in the Philippines and Cambodia.
Lim Tow Boon, RGB’s Chief Operating Officer
In an interview with Malaysia’s business publication The Edge, RGB’s Chief Operating Officer, Steven Lim Tow Boon, emphasized that the gaming industry, particularly the casino equipment sector, is expected to perform strongly in the coming years, with the Philippines playing a key role in driving this growth.
In May, RGB secured a substantial order from 16 state-run casinos under the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation (PAGCOR), winning an open tender to supply nearly 2,000 slot machines.
Further boosting its regional presence, RGB signed an exclusive agreement with Firm 614 to assist in importing, selling, and distributing gaming equipment and software to operators licensed by Cambodia’s Commercial Gambling Management Commission (CGMC). Notably, Firm 614 is currently the only company in Cambodia accredited and licensed for gaming activities by the CGMC.
Chuah Eng Meng, senior vice president of RGB’s sales, support, and marketing division, highlighted to the publication that Cambodia has approximately 6,500 slot machines distributed across 118 casinos, with projections indicating that this figure could rise to 10,000 machines in the coming years.
Despite absorbing impairments totaling RM37.1 million ($8.6 million), RGB International Bhd posted a significant increase in net profit for the financial year ending December 31st, 2023 (FY2023).
The company’s net profit rose 5.5 times to RM21.21 million ($4.9 million), up from RM3.82 million ($886,344) in the previous year. Excluding these impairments, earnings would have more than doubled, reaching RM58.3 million ($13.5 million).
Chuah Eng Meng expressed confidence that RGB would be able to reverse these impairments, citing progress already reflected in the company’s second-quarter results for FY2024.
He also emphasized that RGB is on track for another strong performance in FY2024, expecting net profit to surpass its previous record of RM40.17 million ($9.3 million) set in 2019. In the first half of FY2024 alone, RGB reported earnings of RM40.7 million ($9.4 million).
Despite reports that South Korean company, IH-Group, intends to develop a casino and resort on the island of Rota, authorities in the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands (CNMI) have denied the project has already been greenlighted.
The company is said to have started renovating the Rota Resort & Country Club to feature a casino, a 276-room hotel, and a waterpark, aiming to enhance tourism and establish the island as an entertainment destination with a targeted opening in 2025.
Rota IH Casino Hotel: IH Group
However, according to The Saipan Tribune, the Department of Public Lands (DPL) clarified that the property is still open for proposals, with a request for proposals (RFP) closing on November 10th.
DPL Secretary Teresita Santos confirmed that the RFP, initially set to end in September, was extended to allow more time for submissions. IH-Group has submitted a proposal for the property and was granted a conditional casino and internet gaming license in July, requiring an annual payment of $200,000 to maintain the license.
The publication notes that IH Group’s new casino license allows it to operate both land-based and online gaming facilities on the island, with the Korean group planning to establish two more casinos and having already set up a small gaming venue on the island with five baccarat tables, one blackjack table, and 30 slot machines.
The company previously signed a $150 million investment contract with Imperial Pacific International to continue construction on a hotel-casino in Saipan.
The Commonwealth Casino Commission (CCC) is preparing to initiate revocation proceedings against Imperial Pacific.
The CCC must first request the US District Court to lift a stay on the revocation proceedings, which was imposed when IPI filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy earlier this year. Following IPI’s decision to sell the hotel-casino, the CCC has resumed efforts to revoke its exclusive license.
Wynn Resorts Macau remains committed to closely cooperating with the Responsible Gaming policies and publicity efforts implemented by the Macao SAR Government and continues to promote Responsible Gaming to team members and the entire community by organizing a variety of events.
To coincide with the 15th Anniversary of the Macao SAR Government’s introduction of the Responsible Gaming Policy, Wynn recently held an opening ceremony for the “Macau Gaming Industry Development and Responsible Gaming Promotions Photo Exhibition – Wynn Session” & “Immersive Street Theatre Shows” in the Rua da Felicidade district.
Events like these help to spread the message of Responsible Gaming more effectively throughout the community, increasing awareness among residents as well as tourists.
Official dignitaries attending the opening ceremony for the Responsible Gaming photo exhibition and immersive drama shows included:
Beverly Tou, Head of the Research and Investigation Department of the Gaming Inspection and Coordination Bureau (DICJ);
Bonnie Wu, Division Head of the Problem Gambling Prevention and Treatment Division of the Social Welfare Bureau;
Cheang Sut Chan, Head of the Centre of Moral Education at the Education and Youth Affairs Bureau (DSEDJ);
Professor Davis Fong, Director of the Institute for the Study of Commercial Gaming at the University of Macau;
Johnny Siu, Deputy Director of the Centre for Gaming and Tourism Studies at Macao Polytechnic University;
Vincent Yip, Chief Executive Officer of the Bosco Youth Service Network;
Posso Ip, Service Director of the Sheng Kung Hui Macau Social Services Coordination Office;
Austin Vong, President of the Youth Volunteers Association of Macao;
Wong Cheng I, Deputy Executive Director of the Macao New Chinese Youth Association;
Heidi Ho, Principal Secretary of the Young Men’s Christian Association of Macau (YMCA);
Pak Kin Pong, Center Supervisor of the Macau Gaming Industry Employees Home Integrated Services Centre;
Thomas Lau, Vice President of Human Resources for Wynn Palace;
Eddie Wong, Vice President of Casino Operations for Wynn Macau and Wynn Palace;
Raymond Lei, Assistant Vice President of Community and Government Relations for Wynn Macau and Wynn Palace.
The “Macau Gaming Industry Development and Responsible Gaming Promotions Photo Exhibition – Wynn Session” displays the history of Macao gaming and Responsible Gaming efforts
The “Macau Gaming Industry Development and Responsible Gaming Promotions Photo Exhibition – Wynn Session” was on display at the Hall de Cultura set within Rua da Felicidade with the support of the Gaming Inspection and Coordination Bureau, the Social Welfare Bureau, and the Institute for the Study of Commercial Gaming at the University of Macau.
The exhibition allowed residents and tourists to learn about the historical development of Macao’s gaming industry and Responsible Gaming efforts. For a more interactive and diverse approach to promoting Responsible Gaming, Wynn also invited visitors to participate in fun games and quizzes. The three-day event attracted more than 14,000 residents and tourists.
Wynn also collaborated with The Funny Old Tree Ensemble to present “Immersive Street Theatre Shows” at Rua da Felicidade, with support from the Sheng Kung Hui Macau Social Services Coordination Office, the Young Men’s Christian Association of Macau, the Youth Volunteers Association of Macao, the Macau Gaming Industry Employees Home and the Bosco Youth Service Network.
A fashion show during Rua da Felicidade Fashion Week organized by Wynn Macau
The theatre shows were creatively designed to share knowledge about financial literacy with the community through the art of street theater, giving visitors the chance to stroll through the Rua da Felicidade district, where they gained an in-depth understanding of the area’s history and culture, while also strengthening family ties.
Moving forward, Wynn will continue to work closely with all sectors of society, actively participate in a variety of educational and promotional efforts throughout the community, and ensure residents and tourists receive correct information regarding Responsible Gaming to promote the sustainable and healthy development of the Macao gaming industry well into the future.
By the end of the second quarter, Macau’s tourism authorities had introduced over 70,000 discounted flight tickets in a bid to attract international tourists and boost overseas arrivals.
This initiative follows the Macau government’s allocation of MOP235 million ($29.36 million) to support tourism recovery and increase international visitation.
In response to an inquiry from legislator Ngan Iek Hang about the government’s efforts to draw in foreign tourists, the Macao Government Tourism Office (MGTO) explained that the discounted tickets were offered through partnerships with Air Macau, the city’s primary airline, as well as other international carriers.
In collaboration with Air Macau, they launched discounted tickets, buy-one-get-one-free promotions, and multi-destination flight offers for international travelers. They also partnered with various airlines to provide limited-time promotions for travelers from Malaysia, Singapore, the Philippines, Thailand, South Korea, and North America.
These airfare deals are part of a broader strategy to revitalize international tourism to Macau. The MOP235 million budget has been used to offer not only flight discounts but also deals on cross-border transportation between Macau and Hong Kong, hotel stays, dining, entertainment, and show tickets.
The MGTO also collaborated with bus and ferry operators to provide free rides for international tourists traveling from Hong Kong to Macau, benefiting more than 100,000 visitors by the second quarter of the year.
In addition, by the end of June, over 50,000 international visitors had taken advantage of special offers available through online and traditional travel agencies, as well as e-commerce platforms.
Preliminary data indicate that Macau welcomed 25.94 million visitors in the first nine months of the year, a 30.2 percent year-on-year increase, representing 85.9 percent of the pre-COVID visitor volume in 2019. Of these, nearly 1.68 million were international tourists, marking a 95.2 percent year-on-year increase. However, this figure still represents only 70.8 percent of the international visitor numbers recorded during the same period in 2019.
The MGTO has set a target of 2 million foreign arrivals by year-end.
In addition to these promotions, the MGTO emphasized the success of travel roadshows held from March to July in six key overseas markets: Japan, Singapore, Indonesia, South Korea, Thailand, and Malaysia. These events attracted over 880,000 attendees and engaged 870 travel industry operators.
To further boost tourism, the MGTO has pledged to expand efforts both domestically and internationally. Through comprehensive promotional activities, including online and offline advertising, participation in international travel expos, roadshows, seminars, and familiarization trips, they aim to elevate Macau’s tourism profile and accelerate the recovery of the industry.
Bloomberry Resorts Corporation has successfully completed the refinancing of a PHP72 billion ($1.24 billion) loan, in a deal aimed at helping lighten its debt burden as Solaire Resort North ramps up.
The agreement, announced during a signing ceremony at Solaire Resort Entertainment City, involves Bloomberry’s subsidiaries – Bloomberry Resorts and Hotels, Inc. (BRHI) as the borrower, and Sureste Properties Inc. (SPI) serving as surety and third-party security provider.
The signing ceremony was held at the Solaire Resort Entertainment City
This new Syndicated Refinancing Facility replaces the previous PHP73.5 billion ($1.27 billion) Syndicated Term Loan Facility acquired in 2018, along with an additional PHP20 billion ($345.5 million) term loan obtained by BRHI in December 2020.
The new facility has a term of 10 years, extending until October 2034, and retains a back-ended principal payment schedule similar to its predecessor, with over 65 percent of the balance due in the final five years.
Notably, the updated loan comes with a pricing spread that is 75 basis points lower than the previous facilities and allows Bloomberry the option to fix the interest rate within the next 12 months. This flexibility positions the company to benefit from anticipated interest rate cuts in the near future.
Enrique K. Razon Jr., Bloomberry’s Chairman and CEO, expressed optimism about the refinancing, stating that the group views this refinancing as a positive development that will allow the company to lighten its debt service and preserve cash as Solaire Resort North ramps up.
Solaire Resort North, Bloomberry Resorts
According to Razon, the refinancing will also “improve the company’s bottom line, and ultimately ensure the consistent return of capital to our shareholders in the coming years”.
The syndicate of lenders includes prominent financial institutions such as BDO Unibank, Inc., Bank of the Philippine Islands, China Banking Corporation, and Philippine National Bank.
BDO Capital and Investment Corporation acted as the lead arranger and sole bookrunner, while BDO Unibank, Inc. – Trust and Investments Group serves as the security trustee, facility agent, and paying agent.
The company continues to ramp up its $1 billion Solaire Resort North property in Quezon City, which opened in late May of this year – the first five-star integrated resort in the region. The new property in its portfolio boasts 13,000 square meters of mass and VIP gaming across four floors and 526 hotel rooms.
In the group’s 2Q24 financial results, the group’s Chairman and CEO indicated he was “happy with the pace” of the ramp up of Solaire Resort North, which achieved positive EBITDA of PHP250 million ($4.32 million) in its first 37 days of operation. During the period it recorded PHP1.1 billion ($19.64 million) in gross gaming revenue (only from mass table games and EGMs) and non-gaming revenue of PHP213 million ($3.68 million).
The number of teenagers grappling with gambling addiction in South Korea has more than doubled over the past four years, accompanied by a staggering 14-fold surge in online casino participation.
According to The Korea Times, which cites Representative Cho Gye-won of the opposition Democratic Party of Korea, data from the Korea Center on Gambling Problems (KCGP) reveals that the number of teenagers receiving gambling addiction counseling has risen from 1,286 in 2020 to 2,665 by the end of August this year. While more teens are seeking help, the severity of their addiction remains concerning.
The number of “problem level” gamblers—those exhibiting the most severe addiction—rose from 362 (65.1 percent) in 2020 to 582 (66.4 percent) this year.
Another statistic is the significant drop in the success rate of teens quitting gambling. The rate of successful gambling cessation one year after treatment plummeted from 49.2 percent in 2020 to just 24.9 percent in 2023, suggesting that teens are finding it increasingly difficult to overcome gambling addiction once they start.
A concerning shift in the age group affected is also emerging. Four years ago, high school students (aged 17 to 19) made up 80.5 percent of those seeking help for gambling addiction. This figure has now decreased to 55 percent, while middle school students (aged 14 to 16) have seen an increase in gambling addiction cases, rising from 12.8 percent in 2020 to 20.6 percent. Experts warn that younger teens, who are more susceptible to peer influence, are at greater risk of being drawn into gambling.
The nature of gambling among teens is also evolving. While the number of teens engaging in sports betting has dropped sharply—from 48.2 percent in 2020 to 9.2 percent this year—online casino use has surged dramatically, rising from 8.9 percent in 2020 to 59 percent in 2023. Online casinos pose a particular threat to teens due to their accessibility via smartphones and the immediate gratification they offer, making them more addictive.
Representative Cho called for stricter enforcement and harsher penalties for illegal gambling websites, as well as enhanced efforts to shut down these platforms.
He stressed the need for comprehensive reform in addiction prevention education, urging collaboration between the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism and the Ministry of Education to strengthen policies and swiftly amend relevant regulations.
Gambling addiction prevention must be included in school curriculums rather than left to the discretion of principals, Cho emphasized.
