Asia round-up: Chau changes lawyer; Genting out of Japan, Sky Racing World & more

The former boss of the now-defunct Suncity junket Alvin Chau has changed lawyers partway through his trial.  

Chau was charged with founding and leading the criminal group Suncity, a company through which he allegedly laundered money and ran illegal offshore gambling activities.  

The ex-junket founder has tasked Leong Hon Man to take over from his previous lawyer, Leong Weng Pun. 

Chau’s new lawyer comes from a different legal background, and the former junket boss hopes new legal representation will aid him in his bid to successfully navigate the trial.  

Genting Singapore redeems and cancels bonds in Japan 

Genting Singapore has redeemed and cancelled Japanese yen-denominated bonds in the amount of JPY20bn ($135.2m).

When the bonds were issued to Genting, the company said it would use a Japanese entity to generate corporate entities or “purposes” in the country.  

Genting also said it would use this Japan-based entity to generate working capital in the country. 

Now that Genting Singapore has redeemed and cancelled its bonds, it no longer has any outstanding bonds in Japan. 

Therefore, this can be taken to suggest that any business activity Genting had hoped to complete in Japan has now been dropped. 

Sky Racing World adds Malaysian thoroughbred racing to portfolio 

Australian wagering and entertainment company Sky Racing World has added Malaysian Thoroughbred racing to its content portfolio of international racing.  

A Tabcorp subsidiary, Sky Racing World’s expanded portfolio gives punters in North America access to thoroughbred racing in Australia, New Zealand, Korea, Japan, Singapore, Malaysia, South Africa and Argentina. 

Meets from Kuala Lumpur’s Selangor Turf Club will happen weekly, offering a variety of bet types for gamers.  

All races will be live streamed on the Sky Racing Word app and major advance-deposit wagering platforms. 

Plae8 launches 200+ games for Asian markets 

New gaming platform Plae8 has launched 200+ games for Asian markets, including a sportsbook, live casino and slot games. 

Plae8’s games will be available on both mobile and desktop, and the operator says its website is designed with safe play in mind. 

The operator’s site will be available in Malaysia, Singapore, Vietnam and Australia, to name but a few markets. 

Plae8 will also offer lotteries, exclusive promotions and VIP offerings.  

This includes being licensed and regulated by the Government of Curaçao, and the Philippine Amusement Gaming Corporation (PAGCOR). It is also a member of Gamble Aware, which promotes responsible gambling. 

Beter signs partnership with the Asian Basketball League 

Beter has expanded its sports portfolio through a partnership with the Asian Basketball League (ABL). 

The company will now power and distribute the ABL events which take place in Bishkek, the Kyrgyz Republic, and are organised in partnership with the National Basketball Federation. 

“The Beter team provides high-quality tech and operational support for tournaments and each match is streamed from three cameras with different viewing angles,” a statement from Beter read. 

Through the agreement, Beter will provide live streaming, data and odds for 66 basketball matches of each ABL tournament. Until the end of 2022, three preliminary tournaments are scheduled, with over 160 games set to take place. 

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