Business

THE MARKETER
Analytics & Data
Management
Division
Volume 5, Issue 6 JUNE 2020

Capacity not demand

seen as key issue in
casino reopening
The lack of capacity due to social distancing
measures will be the key challenge for operators in
opening their properties and not the lack of
demand, says Angel Sueiro, chief operating officer
of PH Resorts Group Holdings.
Sueiro said casinos in the Philippines are likely to
reopen this month, though the government will
take a highly cautious approach.
Speaking at the ICE-Sigma Asia Digital event on
Tuesday, he noted that gaming is resilient and he
fully expects customers to come back once the
doors are open. Though, maximising the yield per
table with strict regulations on the numbers
allowed on the casino floor will be key.
Minimum bets are likely to be raised on table
games, which Sueiro expects to accelerate a trend
towards electronic table games.
“We will be raising the minimum bet so table
games will become more expensive,” he said. “The
mass grind will migrate to ETGs.”
He added that to increase the enjoyment for
players and replace the social element from
gathering around normal tables, features such as a
“star” dealer may be introduced.
“The biggest change will be in slot layout. The
one slot on one slot off model that is being
adopted looks horrible, so we will have to come up
with something more creative.”
Walt Power, the newly appointed CEO of the
Grand Ho Tram in Vietnam, agreed that demand is
returning fast.
At the same event, he pointed out that Vietnam
has had one of the best track records in handling
the pandemic with only 350 cases and no deaths.
The casinos in the country are already open.
“Demand will return to its natural state of six
months ago, the question is how long it will take,”
he said, adding that Ho Tram is doing quite well,
with roughly the same density of gamers as prior
to the crisis.
He says he sees a bright future for gaming in Asia
as long as operators have strong enough balance
sheets to take them through the current crisis.
“Macau is robust and those operators will weather
the storm,” he added.
www.agbrief.com – June 09, 2020

“Marketing’s job is never done. It’s about perpetual motion. We must continue to innovate every day”
-Beth Comstock Page 1
 Business
THE MARKETER
Analytics & Data
Management
Division
Volume 5, Issue 6 JUNE 2020
60pct of surveyed
casino guests now
think cashless: AGA
The American Gaming Association (AGA) has just
issued a new policy paper on casino payments
modernisation. The trade group says its recent
research shows nearly six out of 10 casino visitors
have expressed interest in using digital or
contactless payment in their everyday lives due to
the Covid-19 pandemic.
“Advancing opportunities for digital payments has
been one of our top priorities since my first day at
the AGA,” said Bill Miller, AGA’s president and chief
executive in prepared remarks contained in a
Tuesday press release on the topic.
“The Covid-19 pandemic made it all the more
important to advance our efforts to provide
customers with the payment choice they are more
“Marketing’s job is never done. It’s about perpetual motion. We must continue to innovate every day”
-Beth Comstock
comfortable with and have increasingly come to
expect in their daily lives,” he added. The paper
“Payments Modernisation Policy Principles,” is said
to reflect an “18-month, collaborative industry
effort”, according to the association.
The AGA is a trade body that represents casino
operators, equipment manufacturers and allied
casino service providers – and is a promoter of the
Global Gaming Expo (G2E) Asia trade show and
conference that usually takes place annually in
Macau. This year’s edition of G2E Asia has been
put back twice and is currently scheduled for
December.
In its latest policy paper, the AGA says it is likely
that “every gaming jurisdiction will implement
payment modernisation differently”. It could range
“from card services… to using an app on your
phone to purchase gaming chips or credits.”
The association further noted: “Adding new
payments [methods] to the casino floor allows
customers to make gaming transactions in a
convenient form that gives them the choice they
are used to in their daily lives; creates an
omnichannel experience for the patron by
reducing friction between gaming and non-gaming
segments of an integrated resort; and extends
digital payment options currently in use by sports
betting and online casino apps.”
Innovations in casino gaming technology –
including in payments – require the agreement of
Page 2
 Business

THE MARKETER
Analytics & Data
Management
Division
Volume 5, Issue 6 JUNE 2020

regulators even if consumers are keen to try them. be very likely to utilise a digital or contactless
payment option when they gamble.”
Some existing technologies that are already
approved in some markets – such as remotely www.ggrasia.com – June 17, 2020
downloaded game content for casino slot
machines to avoid casino engineers needing to be
on the player floor – are already being packaged by
casino technology suppliers as part of “social
distancing” measures. “Never stop doing your best just because
someone doesn’t give you credit.”
In the immediate response to Covid-19 – including
for those markets where casinos have been
temporarily shuttered and then reopened – a
number of technology suppliers has already
offered products designed to improve the safety
of casino chips and of casino slot machine cleaning
routines. A MARKETER’S PERSPECTIVE
After that initial safety-phase response from the
Question #1:
industry, more deep-rooted changes in casino
consumer preferences seem likely, said the AGA in Because of the COVID-19 problem, social or
its press release. physical distancing protocols must be
implemented in our casinos to ensure everyone’s
The body stated that some of its recent research safety. Since not too many players are needed
found that “59 percent of past-year casino visitors inside our casinos for social distancing purposes,
are less likely to use cash in their everyday lives do you agree that the roles of the marketing
because of the Covid-19 pandemic”. Around 57 personnel in the branches and corporate offices in
percent of past-year casino visitors reported the the resumption of our casino’s operations are no
option for digital or contactless payments on the longer significant or relevant? Why do you say so?
casino floor was important to them because of the
Covid-19 pandemic. Question #2:
What personal work contribution/s can you give to
prove your relevance to MD’s role in PAGCOR during
The association added: “More than half (54
this pandemic period?
percent) [of respondents] indicate that they would

“Marketing’s job is never done. It’s about perpetual motion. We must continue to innovate every day”
-Beth Comstock Page 3