Asia
Macau casino stock prices surge after easing of travel restrictions
In a rare piece of positive news for the gambling and casino industry, casinos in Macau saw their stock prices surge this week after the neighboring province of Guangdong eased travel restrictions to allow more people to visit the gambling capital of the world.
Macau has since 2007 generated more gambling revenue than any place on Earth, outstripping Las Vegas. However, the onset of the coronavirus pandemic, and the subsequent travel bans, have severely damaged the Chinese region economically.
Figures from June reported a 97 percent decline in casino revenue year-on-year, the lowest decline in Macauâs history, while last monthâs reports meant Macau suffered year-on-year decline of more than 90 percent for three successive months.
Macauâs financial difficulties during the Covid-19 outbreak have been reflected in other gambling hotspots, including Las Vegas and New Jersey, with thousands of jobs lost and thousands more at risk.
However, this week stock prices rebounded in a big way, offering a glimmer of hope that Macau and its leading casinos are on the road to recovery. Galaxy Entertainment closed at a 6.2 percent gain having at one point surged to 11.1 percent, while Sands China â another prominent company on the Macau strip â closed at a five percent increase.
The stock surges came after Guangdong ended its 14-day quarantine requirements for visitors crossing the Guangdong-Macau border, starting from July 15. Instead of a mandatory 14-day quarantine, visitors must now hold âgreenâ health cards and present a negative Covid test that proves they tested negative within the seven days prior to arriving in Macau.
Considering that Guangdong â with a population of more than 113 million people â was responsible for around half of Macauâs annual visitors last year, this easing of restrictions is a massive boost to Macauâs economy, and economic experts believe the city will start to rebound as a result.
âWe expect the removal of the quarantine requirement will lead to a rebound in Macauâs gross gaming revenue following a 77 per cent drop in the first half of 2020, and help reduce gaming operatorsâ cash burn,â said Sean Hwang, an analyst at Moodyâs Investors Service.
âHowever, we expect the recovery in Macauâs gaming market to be slow, given continued restrictions and new requirements for travel, sluggish economic growth across the region, and the publicâs lingering fear of contagion.â
Macauâs biggest strength in ânormalâ times has proved to be its biggest weakness during the pandemic. A special administrative region in China, Macau welcomes around 35 million visitors each year, the overwhelming majority of whom visit to gamble and enjoy the entertainment associated with the casino resorts.
As the only region in China with legal gambling, Macau has had a near monopoly on Chinese visitors who wish to gamble, plus the many international tourists who visit to enjoy the luxury and decadence on offer in the city.
However, as travel bans ground domestic and international tourism to a halt, Macauâs over-reliance on the casino industry has become horribly exposed. While casino operators in North America, Europe, and other parts of Asia have been able to pivot toward online casino betting services to help soften the economic blow, Macau has been left stranded due to Chinaâs restrictions on online gambling.
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Macauâs reliance on casino revenue has not been lost on the regionâs head of government, Ho lat Seng, who in April criticized the âexcessive dependenceâ on the gambling industry as it became clear just how badly hit Macau had been by the economic effects of the pandemic.
âWith the outbreak of the novel coronavirus, the gaming and tourism industries registered significant declines, with profound impact on industries connected to these areas,â Ho said. âThis demonstrates, once again, the vulnerability and the enormous risks of the Macau economy’s excessive dependence on gaming and tourism industries.
âThe healthy and stable development of the gambling and tourism sector will continue for a certain period of time and will be the basis of the continued stability of the economy of Macau. Nevertheless, if the monolithism of the industrial structure remains unchanged, it will inhibit the sustainable development of Macao’s economy.â
While Macau undoubtedly needs to do more to diversify its economy, the easing of travel restrictions and the stock market surge for casino operators at least offers some good news after months of nothing but doom and gloom.
Asia
PRONET GAMING BECOMES FIRST B2B OPERATOR TO ESTABLISH SCBPO ACCREDITED OPERATION IN THE PHILIPPINES VIA CLAYMORE SOLUTIONS
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Omni-channel turnkey provider Pronet Gaming is the first internationally-licensed B2B company in the gaming sector to establish an SCBPO-accredited operation in the Philippines via Claymore Solutions.
Claymore Solutions is accredited by the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation (PAGCOR) as a Special Class BPO (SCPBO), which authorises them to provide employer of record & serviced office space to internationally licenced gaming operators enabling them to establish operations in the Philippines without taking bets or payments.
Pronet Gaming will now build out IT and Trading teams in Manila, further strengthening its operational presence and technical capabilities in the region.
Pronet Gaming CEO Alex Leese said: âEstablishing an SCBPO-accredited presence in the Philippines is a milestone that aligns perfectly with our long-term strategy of expanding our footprint in Asia, in a fully compliant way. Weâre happy to have made this possible through the collaboration and support of our trusted partner, Claymore Solutions.â
Paul Fox, Chairman and Co-Founder of Claymore Solutions, said: âWeâre honoured to be working with Pronet Gaming, providing EoR and serviced office space solutions for their operations which underlines the quality of local staff and further boosts the Filipino economy.â
PAGCOR Chairman Al Tengco commented: âWeâre delighted to have B2B operators such as Pronet Gaming establish their Trading and IT operations here through Claymore Solutions. I hope that more companies follow given the wealth of readily available Filipino talent in this sector.â
Claymore will announce additional client partnerships in the near future.
The post PRONET GAMING BECOMES FIRST B2B OPERATOR TO ESTABLISH SCBPO ACCREDITED OPERATION IN THE PHILIPPINES VIA CLAYMORE SOLUTIONS appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.
Asia
2025 Esports Innovation and Communication Seminar Held in Mudanjiang, China
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The 2025 Esports Innovation and Communication Seminar, supported by the China Media Group (CMG) National Institute for Esports Development and hosted by CCTV Animation Group Co., Ltd., was held on October 17, 2025, in Mudanjiang, China. The event gathered experts, academics and industry leaders from Chinaâs esports community, as well as participants from Europe, the Middle East, Southeast Asia and other parts of the world.
Through roundtable discussions and keynote addresses, the seminar explored key topics such as:
⢠âBreaking Barriers, Thriving Together: How Gen Z is Shaping and Growing Within Esports Cultureâ
⢠âDigital Bridges, Global Synergy: Esports as a New Platform for Cross-Cultural Exchange and Collaborationâ
⢠âAI-Driven Innovation, Gear Revolution: Unlocking New Opportunities for the Sports Industry Through Esportsâ
Discussions at the event connected with concrete developments in Chinaâs esports sector over the past year. China has hosted a growing slate of international tournaments, with three major esports competitions for League of Legends, Honor of Kings and CS2 scheduled to take place in the country in November.
The League of Legends 2025 World Championship traveled through Beijing and Shanghai before concluding in Chengdu on November 9. Global audiences saw a broadcast package featuring iconic sites such as the Great Wall alongside Shanghaiâs city lights and Chengduâs local culture, offering esports fans worldwide a multifaceted look at contemporary China.
Inspired, jungler for the LTA regionâs top-seeded team FLY, shared in an interview, âMy experience in China has been great, and Iâm eager to see which teams we will compete against at Worlds.â
Such enthusiasm from international players is matched by the energy of Chinese fans. After a match at the League of Legends 2025 World Championship, South Korean competitor Chovy noted, âThere were many Chinese fans in the arena cheering us onâwe are truly thankful.â
This spirit of support, focused on performance rather than outcome, reflects the openness and professionalism of local esports audiencesâan expression of cultural confidence. That confidence leaves a strong impression on global participants.
Brazilian player lux remarked in a June media interview, âWhenever Iâm asked which city is my favorite, I always say Shanghai. Itâs incredible. The fans are amazing, and so are the events.â
Chinaâs capacity for hosting high-caliber esports events has also drawn international recognition. After attending this yearâs KPL Grand Finals, German commentator Danny Engels said, âThe production level is world-class. The stage screens are unique, and attention to detail is evident throughout.â
As esports continues to grow in global influence, these events convey not only competition, but also culture, image and values.
The post 2025 Esports Innovation and Communication Seminar Held in Mudanjiang, China appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.
Asia
Philippines Cracking Down on Influencers Promoting Illegal Online Gambling Sites
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The Philippinesâ Cybercrime Investigation and Coordinating Center (CICC) is enhancing efforts to crack down on the promotion of illegal online gambling sites by providing a list of influencers and online entities it says have been promoting and enabling such sites.
In a statement, the CICC â working alongside digital advocacy network Digital Pinoys â said it had provided a list to the Philippine National PoliceâAnti-Cybercrime Group (PNP-ACG) for formal investigation and case build-up â marking a firm escalation in the governmentâs campaign against platforms operating without authorisation from regulator PAGCOR. Each detection activates immediate action by way of takedown requests, notices to explain and case referral, the CICC explained.
âThe latest endorsements affirm the governmentâs commitment to hold accountable not just illegal operators, but also individuals and entities who knowingly promote or enable these schemes online,â it said.
âEndorsement of these cases by the CICC signifies that evidence has been collected against the promoters, and that their case-buildup affirms that sufficient grounds exist for prosecution.â
The CICC added that it continues to track pages, personal accounts and paid online promotions found to be facilitating or advertising illegal gambling, with its collaboration with Digital Pinoys having contributed to a 93% reduction in reported illegal gambling links.
One Philippine esports identity announced late last week that he was launching a new livestream platform for the specific purpose of bringing together iGaming streamers and content creators in a responsible way by promoting only PAGCOR-licensed games.
The post Philippines Cracking Down on Influencers Promoting Illegal Online Gambling Sites appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.
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