MATT BEKIER Shining Star
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inside asian gaming august 2017 #134 | 30 MOP The Venetian Macao turns 10 Aristocrat CEO Trevor Croker INDUSTRY PROFILE Anson Wong MATT BEKIER Shining Star www.asgam.com COVER STORY CONTENTS AUGUST 2017 IN FOCUS Cover Image: Star Entertainment Group The Venetian Macao 10th Anniversary 6 Breakfast Briefs IN FOCUS 22 Beating the odds, changing the game Opened 10 years ago this month, the Venetian Macao transformed the Asian and global gaming landscape, supersizing the Integrated Resort concept and blazing the trail to Cotai. INSIGHTS 28 View from the top IAG speaks to Aristocrat’s recently promoted CEO Trevor Croker about his first few months in the top job and his plans for maintaining the slots giant’s winning momentum. THE DISMAL OPTIMIST 32 From Uber to Amazon Dr Peter T Treadway explains why regions like Macau and Hong Kong must support tech business as the way of the future. INDUSTRY PROFILE 36 Anson Wong: New beginnings Matt Bekier: Inside Asian Gaming Deputy Editor Raquel Dias chats with Entertainment Gaming Asia founder Anson Wong about the path 10 Shining Star that led him to start his own business. KEEN OBSERVATIONS 40 Time for a corporate rethink In his latest column for IAG, Dr Brian To examines the Star Entertainment Group management failures of three corporate giants – all of which CEO Matt Bekier discusses could have been avoided. TRADE EVENTS the company’s turnaround, 44 New era dawns in Sydney its VIP business in the wake The Australasian Gaming Exhibition will be the biggest gaming trade show in the Southern Hemisphere in 2017 as it moves to of China’s Crown Resorts its new home at the impressive ICC Sydney. prosecutions and its 48 All eyes Down Under future plans for Australia’s Gaming, Racing & Wagering Australia is back bigger and better than ever in 2017 with a range of insightful panel topics and a tourism industry. comprehensive eSports workshop. 50 EVENTS CALENDAR EDITORIAL Seizing the day HE ability to change, adapt or recognize new It also highlights the value of foresight. Many years ago, opportunities when they arise are all key attributes Mr Adelson played a key role in saving Las Vegas from an of successful gaming operators. Atlantic City-style deathroll by targeting the MICE space My first experience of the Venetian Macao came and transforming the city into a world-class destination for Tin 2008 – long before my career path led me back to this part meetings, exhibitions and conferences. Just as Macau’s of the world on a more permanent basis – when I was asked gaming boom was led by the Venetian Macao, so too did by PokerStars to cover the inaugural Macau leg of the Asia Sands Expo and Convention Centre inspire modern-day Las Pacific Poker Tour. Vegas with a record 6.3 million convention attendees in 2016. At that time, the 6.7 square kilometres upon which the Another dramatic transformation is taking place at The Cotai Strip now stands was still mostly dirt, so it was hard Star in Sydney, where I was privileged enough to sit down with to miss the Venetian’s gargantuan structure rising proudly Star Entertainment Group CEO Matt Bekier in July. from its heart. I distinctly remember thinking what an unlikely I grew up in Sydney and can fairly say that for the first 14 location it seemed for the biggest casino in the world! years from its opening in 1995, The Star – known back then as I have no doubt that most locals, having grown up in a Star City – was far from being a world-class Integrated Resort. much simpler Macau where fishing and manufacturing were For those familiar with the Australian licensed club scene, Star the dominant industries, wondered much the same. City would regularly be referred to as a “glorified RSL.” But where others saw a swamp, Sheldon Adelson, the That all changed after 2009 when the property underwent billionaire Chairman and CEO of Las Vegas Sands, saw an AU$900 million renovation – flipping the entire orientation opportunity – so much so that he pledged to spend US$10 around to face Sydney Harbour (I still have no idea why it wasn’t billion on it. The Venetian Macao, at a cost of US$2.7 billion, built this way in the first place), renovating the entire gaming was the first and most important stage in that investment. floor and adding a luxury retail mall, multiple fine dining It is now 10 years since the Venetian opened its doors restaurants and five star hotel The Darling. Completed in 2013, and what a remarkable success story it has proved to be. Star Entertainment Group is now investing in another massive Macau, the former trading port measuring just 30 square expansion project to take the property to the next level. kilometres, is now the biggest casino gaming market in the As they say, a change is as good as a holiday. world with annual revenue four times more than Las Vegas, while the old Cotai swampland is now the Cotai Strip – a glitzy entertainment hub boasting seven Integrated Resorts Ben Blaschke with two more on the way. We crave your feedback. Please email your comments to [email protected]. www.asgam.com 4 INSIDE ASIAN GAMING AUGUST 2017 EDITORIAL Still photography DISTRIBUTION Danomad Kuan Chief Content Officer Dave Aglosolos Distribution Supervisor Evelyn Chan Emily Vong Video Producer Managing Editor Danomad Kuan Distribution Officers Ben Blaschke Anson Ip Peng Cheang Editor at Large SALES & MARKETING Mak Man Wah Muhammad Cohen Hoi Hou Wai SVP Sales and Marketing Deputy Editor Semon Cheung Raquel Dias CORPORATE Journalist and Social Media VP of Marketing Joseff Musa Derrick Tran CEO Andrew W Scott Director of Digital Media Associate Director Sales and Analytics and Business Development Chief of Staff Kevin Sam Jadeson Ho Michael Mariakis Hong Kong Sales Founder and Adviser Director and Administrator Angel Wong Kareem Jalal Cynthia Cheang Graphic Design Client Relationship Manager Accounting and Compliance Director Rui Gomes Caroline Iau Anita Loi Contributors Administration Assistant Paul Doocey IT Dr Brian To Suie Ng Steve Karoul IT Director Rui Pinto Proença Michael Lau Executive Transportation Officers Peter T Treadway Dave Aglosolos Dr Glenn McCartney IT Administrator Gary Hong I Nelson Rose Alison Cheang Advertising Enquiries Subscription Enquiries Jadeson Ho [email protected] +853 6331 5577 Emily Vong [email protected] +853 6647 4123 Derrick Tran [email protected] +853 6688 7214 Inside Asian Gaming Must Read Publications is published by Must Read Publications Ltd is a subsidiary of +853 2883 6497 Press releases – [email protected] | Enquiries – [email protected] Macau Government Information Bureau registration number 295 Price MOP$30 Printed by Cochin Advertising Printing Service Co., Ltd. Est. Nova da Ilha Verde 180 r/c R www.asgam.com ISSN 2070-7681 www.omediamacau.com MACAU GOVERNMENT OPENS THE DOOR FOR SEVENTH CONCESSIONAIRE THE SECRETARY FOR Economy and Finance, Mr Leong Vai Tac, says the government will consider amending the terms and conditions surrounding renewal of gaming licenses for Macau’s concessionaires, opening the door for a potential seventh operator to join the party. Mr Leong said the government was currently listening to a wide range of opinions regarding the refreshment of gaming rights for the city’s current gaming concession and sub-concession holders, adding that it needed to cautiously assess the situation to ensure a healthy and orderly development of the sector. The concessions and sub-concessions of all six operators expire between 2020 (SJM and MGM) and 2022 (Galaxy, Sands China, Wynn and Melco Resorts). concessionaire in a recent interview are visible, whether they have potential Mr Leong’s comments follow a similar with Inside Asian Gaming. background or historical records to prove prediction by Professor Davis Fong, Director “I think from a society perspective to society that okay, they are not the six of the Institute for the Study of Commercial we will welcome everybody who can (concessionaires), however they can help Gaming and Associate Professor of the help Macau achieve the World Centre of achieve the next level. Hospitality and Gaming Management Tourism and Leisure,” Professor Fong “I think society will welcome Program at the University of Macau, told IAG. “But one point is very clear – everybody who can help Macau achieve who raised the possibility of a seventh it’s not just a proposal. Whether they this new position.” WSOP and Tencent sign multi-year deal Chinese internet and gaming giant Tencent using the digital expertise, reach and and remains the most prestigous poker has struck a multi-year agreement with the distribution of Tencent, combined with tournament series in the world. World Series of Poker (WSOP) to spread the WSOP’s tournament expertise, brand Tencent has also been granted exclusive poker’s most popular brand throughout value and authority. merchandise rights to the WSOP brand in Asia in a variety of innovative ways. As part of the alliance, the WSOP Asia and will design, manufacture and sell The Executive Director of the WSOP, Ty will develop a program for Tencent to WSOP-branded goods. Tencent will have Stewart, has described the agreement as a help train and certify poker tournament media content distribution and production “10-year deal.” staff and provide expertise on event rights in Asia, including live streaming of The deal was announced as the structures, rules, equipment and events and reality-based programs. 48th annual WSOP Main Event kicked procedures to ensure any live poker Partnership plans include land-based off with the goal of the new strategic events in Asia use the globally- events such as WSOP China and WSOP alliance being to help educate and grow recognized standards of the WSOP, Asia featuring the game’s most coveted the competitive game of poker in Asia which was first held in Las Vegas in 1970 trophy – WSOP gold bracelets.