Inside Asian Gaming

IAG AUG 2021年8月 亞博匯 128 10 YEARS AGO I t may not have proved as transformational for Macau’s casino industry as was hoped, but it did at least highlight the potential for innovation within an industry many believe to be living on borrowed time. In the August 2011 issue of Inside Asian Gaming , we spoke with executives of Goldenway – a unique VIP operator looking to shake up the traditional junket model. The idea was two-fold: to implement a system whereby players would pay up front in cash rather than be issued credit, and to recruit those players via a dedicated website rather than relying on agents. Those concepts seemed ambitious then and still do to this day, although Goldenway’s concept was intriguing. By utilizing a cash over credit model, the junket could eliminate risks related to debt collection and ensure players were not over- extending. Addressing questions over the very reason credit-based play exists in the first place – access to funds – Goldenway told IAG that its product was primarily targeted towards high-end players looking for an entertainment experience rather than the more traditional junket customer. However, it also hoped that by recruiting players directly via a website, it could also provide better rebates by cutting out the need to pay a percentage of commissions to agents. “Our management structure is modern and a long way from the traditional image of Macau junket 或 許未能如人們所希望般給澳門博彩業帶來 轉型，但其至少凸顯了這個被許多人認為 時日無多的行業的內部創新潛力。 在2011年8月的《亞博匯》中，我們採訪了 金道集團的高管。金道是一家希望改變傳 統博彩中介模式的營運商。其想法有兩個方面：其一是執行一 個系統，讓玩家預先支付現金；其二是通過專門的網站而非博 彩中介來吸引玩家。 這些概念無論在當時還是今日看起來仍充滿抱負。通過 使用現金而非信貸的模式可令博彩公司消除債務收回的風險， 並確保不會對玩家過度借貸。金道當時向《亞博匯》表示，其產 品主要針對尋求娛樂體驗的高端玩家，而非傳統的博彩中介客 戶。 不過，其也希望通過網站直接招募玩家，從而減少向中介 支付的佣金比例，來提供更好的返利。 金道公司的Jerry Tse表示：「我們的管理結構是現代化的， 與傳統的澳門博彩中介和黑幫形象相去甚遠。」 「我們為客戶創建新渠道和新環境。我們堅信這種模 式——貴賓博彩的先進化——將有助於提升澳門形象，並有助 於促進其發展為旅遊目的地。」 儘管由於區域經濟衰退、中國的反貪腐行動以及近期的新 冠疫情，令貴賓博彩行業遭遇了大規模收縮。但金道的概念無 疑具有創造性。 倘若博彩中介行業想要擁有繁榮的未來，至少需要跳出固 有桎梏進行思考。