Asia
MGM Resorts International Looking to Open New Venues in The Asian Market
MGM Resorts International is an American hospitality and entertainment corporation that operates resorts in Las Vegas, New Jersey, Maryland, Massachusetts, and Mississippi. Their resorts include The MGM Grand, Bellagio, Park MGM, and Mandalay Bay.
MGM Resorts’ History
The history of the corporation can be traced back to 1969, when airline and casino magnate Kirk Kerkorian purchased a majority share in the Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM) picture studio. This event is considered to be the beginning of the company.
Grand Name Company, the precursor to what is now known as MGM Resorts International, was established in 1986 by Kirk Kerkorian as a wholly owned subsidiary of Tracinda Corporation. It was rebranded as MGM Grand, Inc. in 1987. After purchasing Mirage Resorts in the year 2000, the corporation changed its name to MGM Mirage.
Despite the fact that the majority of the company’s resorts are already in operation in the United States, the corporation has expressed a strong desire to expand into Asia, with China, Japan, and Singapore being its primary areas of focus.
MGM Resorts in Singapore
The establishment of a venue in Malaysia might be considered a significant milestone for MGM Resorts International. It has been confirmed by Bloomberg that the firm has already spoken with the Malaysian Lim family about the possibility of either taking over their Genting Singapore business or investing in the company. A consensus has not yet been not reached, but it seems probable that MGM will continue its pursuit of the firm in the future.
Singapore’s city state has just two casino operators, Genting being one of them. Sentosa, an island off Singapore’s southern coast, is home to the Resorts World Sentosa complex. According to a recent review by www.casinosnavi.com, the resort has more than 550 gaming tables and 2,400 slot machines, and other electronic games. Theme parks, aquariums, water parks, restaurants, and shopping round out the list of things to do at Universal Studios Singapore.
In addition, Genting Singapore was one of the few businesses owned by the Genting group that remained profitable throughout most of the COVID-19 pandemic. In the first quarter of 2022, Genting Singapore reported a 13 percent year-on-year increase in revenues to $225 million and a 17 percent increase in net profit to $29 million.
It’s clear that a potential MGM takeover of the Genting Singapore presence would further strengthen the US casino giant in the Asian market. Not only that they would take over a profitable business with lots of potential for expansion, but they will penetrate another market that’s not accessible to them at the moment. Should an agreement be reached, MGM will become a major player in the Asian market after adding Singapore to their portfolio.
MGM Resorts in Japan
MGM Resorts International also intends to construct a resort in Osaka, Japan, with a price tag of ten billion dollars. The city and prefecture of Osaka have decided to work with MGM, which has formed a partnership with the Japanese financial services giant ORIX. This will allow MGM to operate an integrated resort in the area.
Since Las Vegas Sands Corp., Wynn Resorts Ltd., and other Asian gambling businesses withdrew from developments in Osaka, only the MGM-Orix joint venture submitted a bid to the region’s RFP process for establishing a casino.
This is MGM’s first foray into the Japanese casinos business, and they hope it will be just the beginning. In a statement, MGM Resorts CEO and President Bill Hornbuckle said that “We couldn’t be more excited for the opportunity to help enhance and grow Osaka’s reputation as a world-class destination and gateway for the world to the wonders and rich history of Japan.”
MGM Resorts in China
MGM Macau and MGM Cotai are the two locations in China where the MGM brand is active. The MGM Macau was the first business that the corporation had in China, the second one being the MGM Cotai casino resort which officially opened its doors on February 13th, 2018.
1,390 rooms and suites make up the Cotai hotel. There is a 2,000-seat MGM Theater in the hotel as well. More than 2,000 different plant species are housed at Nature’s Art, the world’s biggest art garden. Among those species are many that had been thought to be extinct.
Moreover, the opening of MGM Shanghai looks to be part of MGM’s strategy to increase its presence in the country. A hotel management agreement with Shanghai West Bund Development has been signed by Diaoyutai MGM Hospitality, a 2007 joint venture between MGM Resorts International and Diaoyutai State Guesthouse. This agreement will see Diaoyutai MGM Hospitality open its first MGM-branded hotel in Shanghai.
MGM Shanghai West Bund will include 161 guest rooms and 58 suites, as well as a range of food and beverage, entertainment, and other services, according to information supplied to the press. The hotel will provide a variety of Las Vegas-inspired entertainment activities, such as live performances by prominent artists and art exhibits, in an effort to attract wealthy tourists and residents alike.
Mr. Bill Hornbuckle, CEO and President of MGM Resorts, stated, “We’re honored that the MGM brand and our China joint venture, Diaoyutai MGM Hospitality, were selected by West Bund Group to operate this premium property in such an iconic zone.”
Final Thoughts
Already with a strong presence in the major Asian markets, MGM could strengthen its presence through a potential takeover in Singapore. Even though an agreement is far from being reached, the initial talks bring a lot of promise for the region.
It’s certainly an interesting development for the resort industry in Asia and only time will tell if the negotiations will come to a positive result. In the meantime, tourists can rest assured that the resort era is far from coming to an end.
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Building on 15 years of success, G2E Asia + Asian IR Expo is set to make its highly anticipated return to Macau from May 7-9, 2025, at The Venetian Macao.
The 2025 show will introduce a range of new initiatives, including 100 exclusive product launches debuting in Asia for the first time. These will be showcased across more than 30,000 sqm and will cover the full spectrum of the entertainment and travel industries.
The leading event in Asia is expected to attract over 10,000 visitors from 80 countries and regions. To maximise opportunities for attendees, the event will feature a series of high-impact networking sessions, along with a dedicated business matchmaking team coordinating over 400 pre-arranged meetings to streamline connections.
This year’s show will also introduce the new Gaming Innovation Forum, featuring three full days of sessions that will dive into the latest gaming trends and technologies, all presented by G2E Asia Awards winners and nominees. Located in the exhibition hall, the forum will be accessible to all event attendees.
The G2E Asia Awards celebrates excellence and innovation within the gaming and entertainment industry. The awards will spotlight five prestigious categories, each evaluated by a panel of renowned industry leaders: Best Slot Award, Best Electronic Table Game Award, Best Table Game Award, Best Casino Supply Award and Best IR Tech Solution Award. All award-winning products will be prominently displayed in the exhibition, giving attendees the opportunity to experience them firsthand.
The expanded Asian IR Expo will feature a new Smart Hospitality Technology Experience Zone, offering an immersive and interactive onsite experience. This space will showcase emerging innovations across three unique areas: Smart Reception, Smart Cleaning and Smart Hospitality, each providing guided tours and live demonstrations.
The post 100 Exclusive Product Launches to Debut at G2E Asia + Asian IR Expo appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.
DigiPlus Interactive Corp. (DigiPlus) has won seven honours – including five coveted gold awards – at the 2025 Asia-Pacific Stevie Awards. This milestone places DigiPlus among the most awarded companies in the region this year, spotlighting its strategic growth and transformative impact across digital entertainment, social development and investor relations.
The Asia-Pacific Stevie Awards are the only business awards Programme that recognises innovation across all 29 markets in the region. Widely regarded as the world’s premier business awards, the Stevie Awards represent a prestigious recognition of business excellence.
DigiPlus bagged five Gold Stevies for ‘Innovative Achievement in Growth’, ‘Innovation in Investor Relations’, ‘Excellence in Social Impact Companies’, ‘Innovation in Annual Reports’ and ‘Innovation in Corporate Websites’. The company also clinched Silver and Bronze Stevies for ‘Achievement in Product Innovation’ and ‘Innovation in Brand Renovation’ respectively.
At the core of these wins is DigiPlus’ commitment to innovation and digital transformation. From redefining the player experience through localised and immersive content, to launching a refreshed brand identity that resonates with a more connected and tech-savvy user base, DigiPlus has embraced a future-forward mindset. The company’s calculated investments in big data, cutting-edge technologies and stakeholder engagement have not only fueled business growth, but also opened inclusive pathways to digital participation through its social development arm, BingoPlus Foundation.
“This momentous victory at the Asia-Pacific Stevie Awards affirms DigiPlus’ emergence as a true powerhouse of innovation and progress, reshaping industry boundaries and redefining digital consumer engagement on a global scale. Through consistent growth and business performance, DigiPlus reaffirms its unwavering commitment to creating long-term value,” said DigiPlus Chairman Eusebio Tanco.
Winning entries in the Asia-Pacific Stevie Awards undergo a rigorous, multi-layered evaluation by an esteemed panel of judges composed of business and industry leaders across the region.
“The 12th Asia-Pacific Stevie Awards received an impressive array of outstanding entries. This year’s winners have clearly shown their dedication to innovation, and we commend their resilience and imaginative efforts,” said Maggie Miller, President of the Stevie Awards.
The post DigiPlus Bags 7 Wins at the 2025 Asia-Pacific Stevie Awards appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.
Grand Korea Leisure (GKL), a quasi-public firm operating Seven Luck casinos for foreign nationals in Korea, has entered into a partnership with autonomous robot specialist Robotis to introduce artificial intelligence (AI)-powered self-driving robots customised for casino operations.
Under the agreement, the two companies plan to establish joint business models and service systems using autonomous robots and deploy the self-driving robots for transporting gaming chips and cards across three Seven Luck casino facilities.
They will also participate in a large-scale convergence robot demonstration project by the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy.
The latest achievement came as part of GKL’s efforts to digitize casino operations.
The two firms began a six-month pilot Programme in September 2024 at Seven Luck Casino at Seoul Dragon City hotel to collect autonomous driving data and jointly develop software tailored to casino environments.
“GKL is accelerating its transition to smart casinos in line with the government’s drive to realize the so-called ‘digital platform government’. By adopting AI-powered self-driving robots, we aim to provide a new and differentiated customer experience,” GKL CEO Yoon Doo-hyun said.
The digital platform government initiative — pushed by the Yoon Suk Yeol administration — aims to resolve diverse social problems and add value using the latest digital technologies.
In August 2023, GKL developed a mobile service platform, the SevenLuck+, for foreign tourists’ easier access to the casino.
The service is the first of its kind developed by a Korean firm. Those who use the app do not have to bring traditional membership cards. It also provides push notifications for new events and promotions for the casino.
The service is powered by a blockchain-based decentralized identity technology, offering various services, such as e-wallet and entry authentication.
The post Grand Korea Leisure Partners with Robotis appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.
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