Inside Asian Gaming

September 2011 | INSIDE ASIAN GAMING 45 29 (-) Lam Iao Founder & CEO Laxino Technology Ltd 30 (30) Cath Burns Managing Director and Vice President Asia Pacific Bally Technologies Lam Iao has been busy over the past twelve months expanding the scope of Laxino Technology, his Macau-based gaming-focused IT solutions company. Laxino offers full technical support for online game operators: software development and customisation, hardware setup, infrastructure design and system integration. The company also provides IT services to land-based operators, and serves as a slot machine distributor and business operations consultancy. One of themajor factors behind Lam Iao’s decision to Laxino Technology Ltd in June of 2008 was a desire to enable aspiring local software developers to pursue their vocation in his hometown, Macau, where careers opportunities in Information Technology are seriously lacking. Mr Iao’s company has gone on to create opportunities for both land-based and online casinos, a budding South Korean slot manufacturer, as well as non-gaming enterprises. Over the past year, the company’s game development division launched two new peer-to-peer games, Cow Cow and Texas Hold ‘em, to further expand its game library, which includes a variety of P2P and e-games, including online slots, blackjack, video poker and Texas Hold‘em, as well as a range of‘mini games’such as Fa Fa Fa, Fish-Prawn Crab and Lucky Dice. Laxino’s revenues from online products surged 230% over the past year, in tandem with the revenue increase of the operators using Laxino-developed games, and reconfirming the wisdom of Laxino’s decision to make products targeting Asian players. Mr Iao observes that because most other gaming software development companies active in Asia are based in Europe, Laxino is well positioned to offer Asian customers more responsive service and support, and has a unique sensitivity to local tastes and needs. Yet Mr Iao also has his sights on expanding further abroad. Laxino is in the process of obtaining GLI certification for all its products in preparation for a foray into the European market. The company has also partnered with a Canadian company in preparation for the launch of a new project on a social networking platform. On the land-based front, Laxino stands ready to provide end-to-end IT solutions for casino properties as well as non-gaming companies. Among the company’s projects in Macau are the implementation of the entire IT infrastructure for a five-star hotel and casino, including establishing the property’s internal IT department, installing an integrated casino management system and property management system and offering advice on how to streamline the property’s business operational processes to match local regulatory requirements. Laxino also recently formed partnerships with local systems integration companies in order to expand its IT offerings to non- gaming institutions, suchas thegovernment, schools, hospitals, etc. Laxino’s partnership with South Korean slot manufacturer HYDAKO is also paying dividends. The games, which combine HYDAKO’s rich graphics and sleek hardware designs with Laxino’s robust game mathematics, product management, marketing and technical support, have been turning heads on the newly opened Galaxy Macau slot floor. According to Mr Iao, “the debut at Galaxy Macau [on 15th May] was the fruition of two years of our product development and management partnership with HYDAKO.”With the games performing strongly on the Galaxy Macau floor, Mr Iao eyes rapid sales expansion for HYDAKO in Macau and the rest of the region. Mr Iao graduated from the University of Texas with a masters degree in computer science and mathematics, then went on to work on both the equipment supplier and casino operator sides of the gaming industry, first in the US for leading slot machine manufacturer Atronic, then returning to Macau to work at Wynn Resorts and MGM Macau. He has also shared his knowledge in both IT and gaming management as a lecturer at the University of Texas and the University of Macau. the time and space to play a key role in Bally’s re-entry last year in Australia and New Zealand, knowing that the core business in the rest of the region is fully supported. Recruiting and just as importantly retaining staff to work out of the company’s regional base in Macau has been a challenge, given the squeeze in the Macau labour market and the limit on the number of work permits issued to non-residents. “The initial headcount was three employees; now we are proud to say that we have a team composed of 82,” Ms Burns revealed to IAG recently. Since first landing in Macau, Bally Technologies has also expanded to numerous countries in the Asia-Pacific region including South Korea, the Philippines, Malaysia, Singapore and Cambodia. Ms Burns has been at the helm of Bally Macau since its inauguration in 2006, guiding the company’s sales growth in both the games and systems sector in the region. Under her leadership, the company is aiming to secure 20% of the total slot machine orders for Sands China’s latest extension to its Cotai operation. The site was known for many years as parcels 5 and 6, but was recently branded ‘Sands Cotai Central’andmay have a first phase opening in the spring of 2012, according to Sands China. “From our performance base, 20% [of total orders] is pretty much what we deserve of that slot floor,” stated Ms Burns recently. Cath Burns is widely considered one of the outstanding executives in Asian gaming. She is recognised in particular for her leadership and performance in building Bally’s market share in slots and systems in Macau from what amounted to a standing start. Ms Burns has also shown another key attribute of quality leadership—the ability to create a strong local team capable of executing her plans and developing the regional business via their individual insights and initiatives. That has given her