Asia round-up: Emperor, ACMA, Malaysia & our top stories from the region this week
In today's Asia round-up, we look at news from Emperor Entertainment, ACMA, Malaysia and recap the biggest stories from the continent this week...
Emperor Entertainment Hotel revenue down 51%
Operator of the Grand Emperor Hotel, Emperor Entertainment, has reported total revenue of HK$108.6m (US$13.9m) for the six months up to 30 September 2022.
The company says this figure, a 51% decline from the prior-year period, is a result of the cessation of the operator’s Macau gaming business.
It was announced that the Grand Emperor Hotel in downtown Macau was to cease gaming operations on 26 June, earlier this year.
This was primarily due to the city’s pandemic struggles and changes to how satellite casinos are viewed under the new gaming law.
The casino was being run until that date under a service agreement with casino operator SJM Holdings, with SJM then taking over the running of the casino on 27 June 2022.
ACMA blocks illegal gambling sites
The Australian Communication and Media Authority (ACMA) has requested that internet service providers (IPSs) block a slew of illegal offshore gambling websites.
This comes after ACMA investigations found nine offshore gambling services were operating in breach of the Interactive Gambling Act 2001.
Blocking websites represents just one type of enforcement, which is deployed to protect Australian players against illegal online gambling.
The latest sites that were blocked include Winning Days, 21Bit Casino, Oshi Casino, Lucky Elf Casino, NeoSpin, Lets Lucky, Boho Casino, Ripper Casino and BC.Game.
10 arrested over suspected illegal World Cup betting
Malaysian police have arrested 10 local men suspected of being involved in football gambling activities in Johor.
Aged between 22 and 43, the suspects are believed to be football bookies, according to State Police Chief Datuk Kamarul Zaman Mamat.
Mamat said: “Police confiscated cash amounting to RM9,730 and 10 handphones of various brands, as well as SIM cards and a memo notepad containing suspected betting on the World Cup in Qatar 2022 football tournament.”
Elsewhere this week…
Genting posts Q3 report, showing a return to profitability
Genting has posted its Q3 report, which shows it made RM6.12bn ($1.36bn) in revenue – a drastic increase on the RN3.5bn it generated during the same period last year.
Meanwhile, its net profit for Q3 was back in the black after it made RM128m, against a net loss of RM344m for Q3 2021.
For the year so far, Genting has posted almost double the amount it did during the first nine months of 2021, reporting revenue of RM16bn in 2022.
Vietnam halts gambling ring
Ministers from Vietnam’s Ministry of Public Security have stopped an online gambling ring that made an alleged VN$30trn (US$1.2bn) from bets over three years.
Police raided 15 locations in Ho Chi Minh City and its neighbouring Dong Nai Province, arresting 14 people who will now be investigated for gambling and organising gambling operations.
Local media reports that an initial police investigation found the syndicate was partly run by Vietnamese people living in Cambodia, while seven of the organisation’s managers were based in Ho Chi Minh City.
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