Credit Where Due

Asian players in Africa are not so focused on credit and freebies as their counterparts in Macau

“In Asia, I think the gaming industry is mainly about management style,” says Mr Robbins.

He suggests this is because gaming in East Asia itself is driven not only by table games, but also by advancing credit to players. This ‘giveaway’ ethos also translates itself to elements of mass segment marketing in Asia, he believes.

“In Asia, they market and promote by giving stuff away. If you buy in for a hundred dollars they give you another hundred dollars worth of credit,” points out Mr Robbins.

“In Africa, we operate very differently to that, even with our Asian players. We offer more on payback. To the guys that I’ve met in many Asian markets, such as Cambodia, I think 92% return to player [on slots] seems to be the upper level. If you talk to managers in some places in Asia about offering 95%, people start saying ‘Why are you giving so much?’ But at KaiRo International, we’re focused on giving win opportunities to our players.

“In east Asia, it’s still mainly about the live game, the touch of the card and the feeling of making a decision—should I have a card, should I not have a card?

“It’s that feeling: ‘I’m a lucky guy’. There’s a lot of that in this part of the world, with the squeezing of the cards etc. It takes a lot to compete with that in terms of the slots experience. I think it means you have got to give value.”

Asian players playing in Africa think differently, points out Mr Robbins.

“They have quickly buttoned on to new slot machines, and realised they are very, very, good value for money,” he explains.

“I think the slot machine business in the next five years will really swing around in Asia. I think that just from my experience in Africa. Asians playing slots in Africa will come back home and educate players here, and venues such as Wynn Macau I think will help us by educating a new generation of Asian players about slots. Many of those people may go on to work in or visit Africa, so that’s good news all round.”