Inside Asian Gaming

ficiently experienced for the role. “My job is as much about leadership as it [is] experience in op- erations,” Funke Kupper said.“I’m not denying I have a lot to learn at the operational level, but we already have tremendous depth in the operations.” Indeed, the Funke Kupper hiring is the second time in a row Tab- corp has opted to go with a chief executive with limited gaming ex- perience. Like Funke Kupper, ex-CEO Matthew Slatter had a banking background with extensive experience in mergers and acquisitions. His appointment five years agowas interpreted as an aggressivemove on the part of the company, which has in the past few years acquired Sydney’s Star City casino, the Jupiters group of casinos in Queensland and the NSWTab. But declining profits over the past eighteen months led to Slatter’s demise. Funke Kupper has ruled out any incursions into Asia in the short term unlike his predecessor who initiated ventures in China and was an early bidder for the Singapore Marina Bay license.“I was quite vo- cal that we were doing too much,” Funke Kupper said. The company decided earlier this year to focus on local opera- tions. Funke Kupper said the top priority was to sharpen the focus on the existing operations. His annual salary will be just over US$1 million with a similar amount in incentives. In addition he will receive share options cur- rently valued at almost US$1.5 million. ESL to Launch Manny Pacquia Online Casino Following the exclusive signing of internet icon, Tila Tequila, and the successful launch of Tila Casino and Tila Poker in Europe, leading Asian gaming company ESL has signed Philippine boxing idol,Manny “PacMan” Pacquiao, and will soon be launching the boxing champ’s own online casino and poker room. Manny “PacMan” Pacquiao, is the reigning WBC International Super Featherweight champion and one of Asia’s most respected sportsmen. ESL will launch a series of internet gambling sites bearing his name, including MannyCasino.com and MannyPoker.com. MannyCasino will offer over 80 table and card games, as well as slot machines, video poker, arcade games, progressive jackpots, and Live Games;MannyPoker.comwill be Pacquiao’s very own online pok- er room where players will be able to play community poker games including Texas Hold ‘Em, Omaha, Omaha Hi-Lo, and 7 Card Stud. At the signing of a five-year exclusive contract in Manila with ESL and with Playtech, the gaming industry’s leading online gaming soft- ware provider, it was announced that Pacquiao’s casino and poker room will be online and ready for play later this year. Pictured here are Pacquiao and ESL Group CFO Kan Tang. Taiwan casinos still on hold Reports that the Taiwanese government has cleared the way for the establishment of three land-based casinos appear to have been a bit premature, according to the XFN Asia news service. Taipei newspapers claimed the Council for Economic Planning and Development (CEPD) approved plans to issue three 20-year casino permits, with the winning bidders having to pay a yearly fee equivalent to 40% of gaming revenue. Foreign ownership in any of the ventures would be capped at 60%. The casino legalization statute, which was undertaken to help boost the Taiwan’s tourism industry, was expected to be finalized in October, various newspapers reported. However, in subsequent press releases,the CEPD stated that it is still“some way”from a final decision on casino legalization, and no plans have been made on the number of casinos, locations, fee amounts or length of licenses. Aristocrat Profit Rises on Japan, Macau Sales Aristocrat Leisure Ltd, the world’s second-largest maker of slot machines, reported first-half profit rose 20% on increased sales in Ja- pan, Macau and Europe. Chief Executive Officer Paul Oneile is boosting spending on new game development to win sales in Europe and Asian markets, such as Macau, and limit the impact of slowing growth at home. He’s trying to revive sales in Japan with games such as ``Kaido-oh’’ that comply with new regulations after a change in rules led operators to defer purchases. “I am particularly pleased with our results in emerging mar- kets where we have captured a significant share of new opportu- nities,”’ Oneile said in the statement. ”This provides us with con- fidence about the company’s potential given the expansion we anticipate over the next few years. Aristocrat, already the biggest slot machine supplier in Macau, is increasing its market share as it supplies casinos including those operated by Las Vegas Sands Inc. and Wynn Resorts Ltd. 43