Macau VIP room operator opens a new poker venture
Suncity Group—a VIP table games promoter and entertainment venue operator in Macau—has opened a new poker room in Galaxy’s StarWorld Hotel & Casino on the Macau peninsula.
The decision represents a vote of confidence by Suncity and Hong Kong-listed Galaxy Entertaiment Group in poker as a business in famously baccarat-focused Macau. AsianLogic, a leading provider of online and interactive gambling services in the Asia Pacific region and owner of the Asian Poker Tour (APT), recently ended its stint as the resident poker room operator at StarWorld.
AsianLogic, which was named Asian Operator of the Year at the eGaming Review Industry Awards 2008 in London, is now promoting its online poker business and tour by signing up and supplying a group of prominent players to major poker events. The players, marketed collectively as The Poker Pack, include World Series of Poker 2008 seventh-place finisher David ‘Chino’ Rheem.
Poker—the movie
The Poker Pack was present to take part in a charity event to mark the opening of Suncity’s room. The room is branded ‘Poker King Club’ to tie in with the newly released Hong Kong movie Poker King. Part of the film was actually shot at StarWorld, using the APT Macau event at StarWorld in August as a backdrop for some scenes.
The Poker King Movie Charity Poker Tournament featured personal appearances by some of the production’s actors including Sean Lau Ching Wan and Louis Koo. The event raised MOP200,000 (US$25,000) for The Scout Association of Macau.
The Cantonese-language comedy film was produced by China Star Entertainment Group and directed by Chan Hing Kar. Another of the stars of the film is Josie Ho Chiu-Yi, who also happens to be one of the daughters of Dr Stanley Ho, the leading Macau casino entrepreneur and former monopoly concessionaire in the city.
The Hong Kong and international film industries are no strangers to the Macau casino sector. Hollywood crossover actor and Hong Kong native Jackie Chan was named as a minority shareholder in Macau’s Grand Emperor Hotel & Casino when it opened in January 2006. And Albert Yeung, the founder and chairman of Emperor Group, was a minority backer of the controversial Oliver Stone film ‘W.’ about the life of former US president George W. Bush, released last year.
Poker Kings—known to local audiences as Pou Hark Wong—echoes the title of a 2004 Australian documentary. The latter fly-on-the-wall style production charted the ups and downs of life on the professional poker circuit and became something of a cult hit in the industry and beyond.
New look
Suncity has refitted the poker room on the second level of StarWorld, though as with AsianLogic’s offer, the main game available at the 11 poker tables is Texas Hold ’em. Suncity has, however, taken the decision to add a selection of more traditional Macau table games such as baccarat and the dice game sic bo to the floor, in order to draw in ethnic Chinese players to the zone and help create a ‘buzz’—an important element for many local table games aficionados.
In another clever marketing move, the room promoters have signed up ten-time WSOP Champion Johnny Chan to give tutorial sessions in Texas Hold ’em at the Poker King Club during November. Mr Chan, known as The Orient Express, promises to teach beginners some of the techniques used by professionals.
Perhaps equally importantly, in a gaming market that prizes fair-dealing above almost anything else, Suncity is also offering what it says are Macau’s first limited betting poker tables aimed specifically at new players, as well as no-limit tables for more experienced ones.
Suncity Group operates six VIP clubs in five-star hotels and resorts in Asia, including the Suncity VIP Club in StarWorld. It also runs a high roller operation at Paradise Walker-Hill casino in South Korea.
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