Inside Asian Gaming

inside asian gaming November 2016 42 Malaysia says no to online gaming Malaysia’s top law enforcement official says the country has no plans to follow Singapore’s lead and legalize online gambling, insisting police will continue to pursue anyone partaking in online play. Singapore last month announced that it would ease its online gambling regulations by making Singapore Pools and Singapore Turf Club exempt from the country’s Remote Gambling Act and therefore able to offer various gambling services. They include 4D and Toto as well as sports such as football and Formula 1, although casino games such as blackjack and baccarat remain illegal. However, Malaysian Inspector-General of Police, Tan Sri Khalid Abu Bakar, is no supporter of the move and has warned locals against using the new Singaporean offerings. “I think we have enough means for the people to gamble,” he said. “You can go to Singapore to gamble. We will not interfere but it is definitely an offense anywhere in Malaysia, even if using the facility from Singapore. “As long as a person is in Malaysia and he registers with the Singaporean online sites, he will have to face the music.” Singapore Pools launched its online betting service on 25 October with Singapore Turf Club announcing it would follow suit from 15 November. REGIONAL BRIEFS Crown Resorts employees detained in China In a crackdown that promises to have wide-ranging implications for the VIP gaming business around the world, Chinese authorities detained 18 Crown Resorts employees – including three high- ranking officials – following a series of late night raids across the country on 14 October. The employees were taken into custody as part of a coordinated police operation in at least four major cities including Beijing, Shanghai and Guangzhou. Another 10 Chinese organizers of junkets licensed by the Australian casino operator to bring high rollers to its properties were arrested in late October after 87 Crown customers were asked to present themselves to authorities for questioning. Among those detained in the initial raid was Group Executive General Manager VIP International, Mr Jason O’Connor, and Senior Vice President China, Alfread Gomez. Authorities are believed to have seized employee computers and smartphones at the time, giving them access to Crown Resorts’ player database. The stunning developments follow a similar operation in June 2015 in which Chinese authorities arrested 13 executives from South Korea’s two biggest foreigner-only casino operators – Paradise Group and Grand Korea Leisure. The Koreans stand accused of trying to lure Chinese players to gamble at their properties and 16 months later are yet to be released. Chinese police also launched a high profile raid of the Nanjing Millions poker event in April 2015, placing a number of staff from tournament organizer PokerStars under house arrest and laying charges against two local Beijing men named as co-organizers. All three incidents have seemingly served as a strong message from President Xi Jinping that neither gambling nor its promotion will be tolerated in mainland China under his watch. In August last year China’s Ministry of Public Security launched Operation Chain Break, targeting international casino operators’ agent networks in mainland China. The operation is expressly designed to keep such casinos from marketing to Chinese gamblers and to minimize capital flows out of China via foreign casinos and junket operators. Industry sources have told Inside Asian Gaming there is a precedent of people being detained in China in similar cases – sometimes without charges being laid for over a year. Chow Tai Fook expands into Caribbean Chow Tai Fook’s expansion into the gaming industry appears to be picking up pace with the company announcing it has entered into negotiations to buy the luxurious Baha Mar Resort in the Caribbean. Best known for its exploits in jewelry and real estate, Chow Tai Fook Enterprises (CTFE) has applied to the government of the Bahamas for approval as a proposed investor and acquirer of the Baha Mar Resort.