Inside Asian Gaming

COVER STORY CONTENTS JUNE 2018 TRADE EVENTS G2E Asia Awards: A new night of nights Cover Image: IAG Tribal ambition: US properties eye Japan 16 10 Breakfast Briefs COLUMNISTS 26 Social gathering Global Market Advisors’ Shaun McCamley delves into the booming world of social casino games. IN FOCUS 32 Redefining tourism The prevailing view is that Macau sits a long way off Las Vegas when it comes to non-gaming revenue, yet these two cities sit side by side in utilizing IRs to provide an offering unavailable anywhere else. FEATURES 36 Japan IR timelin e With opinions still divided as to when Japan’s first IRs will open, IAG takes a closer look at the steps still needed to get there and how long each might take. TRADE EVENTS 42 G2E Asia Awards: A new night of nights Asia’s gaming industry came together for a memorable night at the inaugural G2E Asia Awards during G2E Asia 2018. FEATURES 44 Lingering clouds: Japan’s great unknown Uncertainty over Japan’s foreign ownership laws and the role of pachinko in Japanese IRs were two of the key topics of discussion during a G2E Asia panel session hosted by IAG titled Asian Markets Forum. TECH TALK 48 High and mighty Aristocrat unveiled its new high-volatility, high-stakes slot machine “Fa Fa Long” at G2E Asia in 2018. 50 EVENTS CALENDAR With a regional destination looking increasingly likely for one of Japan’s IR licenses, could US tribal casino operators offer an irresistible alternative to the big guns of gaming?