Asia

MGM China Reports 2023 Annual Results

Published

3 months ago

February 15, 2024

Reading Time: 3 minutes

MGM China Holdings Limited has announced the selected unaudited financial data of the Company and its subsidiaries (the Group) for the three and 12 months ended December 31, 2023.

The Group saw a solid recovery in Macau since the market reopened in the beginning of last year. Macau saw average daily visitor arrival for 2023, up by 395% from 2022 to 77,296, recovered to 72% of 2019 pre-COVID levels.

Visitation has boosted the growth of gross gaming revenue (GGR). Industry GGR recorded sequential growth over the quarters last year to reach MOP502 million per day in 2023, recovered to 63% of 2019.

MGM China saw record-high performance across segments last year and continued to outperform industry recovery. Property visitation in 2023 was 106% of 2019. Daily GGR was 101% of 2019 and mass GGR (including slot) was 134% of pre-COVID levels.
Net revenue of the Group grew by 369% from 2022 to HK$24.7 billion, or 108% of 2019.
The Group saw adjusted EBITDA turnaround from 2022 to historical high of HK$7.2 billion, represented 117% of 2019.
MGM China had market share of 15.2% for year 2023, up from 9.5% in 2019. MGM COTAI market share was 8.6% and MGM Macau was 6.6%.
Adjusted EBITDA margin for the year 29.3%, 210 basis points higher than 2019, with a mass-focused business and continuous improvement in operational efficiency.
On a quarterly basis, the Group recorded sequential growth for four consecutive quarters over daily GGR, mass GGR and Adjusted EBITDA. Fourth-quarter Adjusted EBITDA was up 16% from previously to HK$2.2 billion, with adjusted EBITDA margin of 28.5%.
The Group maintained a healthy financial position. As of December 31, 2023, the Group had a total liquidity of approximately HK$21.5 billion, comprises cash, cash equivalents and undrawn revolver.

The Group saw business volumes continued to grow in January. Market daily GGR further grew 4% from December to MOP624 million, implying a year-on-year growth of 67%, and 78% recovery of January 2019.

Kenneth Feng, President and Executive Director of MGM China, said: “We are excited about the recovery in Macau and our outperformance across various business segments.

“We will continue to innovate our products and services to enhance customer experience. We are also committed to bringing in more unique integrated tourism experiences to attract international visitors.”

During the year, MGM China has expanded overseas offices in Kuala Lumpur, Manila, Seoul and Osaka. The Group had also held flagship entertainment and gastronomy events including MGM x RR1 Culinary Masters Macau, MGM Chef Nic Gastronomusic Fest and Oktoberfest Macau at MGM, which drew both local and international visitors.

As a supporter of cultural tourism, MGM again collaborated with world-renowned Portuguese artist Joana Vasconcelos to present a large-scale art installation Valkyrie Miss Dior at MGM COTAI. On the art front, the Group presented at MGM Theatre To Infinity and Beyond: The Art of Hsiao Chin, an unprecedented large-scale immersive exhibition as part of Art Macao, a city-wide international event organised by the Macao SAR government. The Group has also announced the collaboration with Poly Culture Group to build a cutting-edge arts and culture museum at MGM MACAU.

In addition, MGM China is determined to bring in world-class events to Macau. The Group has organised MGM Macau Tennis Masters tournament with IMG featuring top international tennis players at the Macao East Asia Games Dome. The Group has also joined hand with the Macao Cultural Affairs Bureau to organise hush! Beach Concerts x Urban Yo~ga Wellfest, a multi-disciplinary festival which marks the debut of MGM’s wellness IP Programme that integrates tourism, health and music industries along the natural coastal Hac Sá Beach in Macau.

“We strive to develop MGM as a destination for visitors and customers, along with the diversification development of Macau. We are devoted in developing Macau into a global and diversified tourist destination through our concession commitments,” Kenneth Feng said.

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Asia

Delasport Signs a Sports Deal with Philippines’ Leading Regulated Operator OKBET

Published

22 hours ago

April 30, 2024

George Miller

Delasport Signs a Sports Deal with Philippines’ Leading Regulated Operator OKBET

Reading Time: < 1 minute

Award-winning iGaming supplier in regulated markets Delasport has just signed a sports deal with Philippines’s number 1 operator OKBET.

The leading software developer will provide sports-services to their new partner, enhancing the experience of sports bettors in the Philippines even further.

“We’re proud to supply our services to such a strong partner as OKBET, and to an exciting and steadily growing market as the Philippines”, Delasport’s CEO Oren Cohen Shwartz comments on the agreement.

Regulated Philippines is marking a stable 5% year-to-year growth with the number of users expected to reach almost 6 million by 2029.

This is yet another deal for Delasport, with the global supplier’s expansion in regulated markets happening at full force.

Same goes for OKBET who have been holding the number one operator spot in iGaming in the Philippines for a long time now.

“I’m excited that OKBET and Delasports are joining forces to redefine the landscape of online sports gaming in the Philippines”, OKBET’s COO Wayne Thong also comments on the deal. “This partnership combines OKBET’s local market expertise with Delasports’ global industry leadership, creating new opportunities for innovation and customer satisfaction. OKBET and Delasports share a common vision for the future: a vibrant and dynamic platform that caters to the diverse interests of sports enthusiasts. By combining cutting-edge technology with a deep understanding of user preferences, this collaboration aims to set new standards for the industry.”

Asia

Uzbekistan Legalises Online Betting and Lotteries

Published

22 hours ago

April 30, 2024

Niji Narayan

Reading Time: 2 minutes

President of Uzbekistan Shavkat Mirziyoyev has signed a decree on April 19 titled “On Measures to Improve the Regulation of the Organization and Conduct of Lotteries and Risk-Based Games in the Republic of Uzbekistan”. The document abolishes the ban starting from January 1, 2025, and introduces a legal framework for the organisation of risk-based games online and betting activities.

The issue of legalising betting activities has been a long-standing topic in Uzbekistan. In December 2019, the president signed a decree to legalise bookmakers, but this decision was revised in April 2022. In April 2023, the head of state instructed the development of a regulatory framework for betting activities.

The National Agency for Advanced Projects (NAAP), the authorised state body for regulating and licensing activities in this sector, provided insights on the necessity of introducing state regulation in the gambling sector in Uzbekistan. The agency emphasised the need to prevent illegal gambling businesses, protect players’ rights and generate additional income for the state budget.

The president’s decree aims to introduce advanced foreign experience and modern technologies in regulating the organisation of risk-based games and lotteries to increase investment attractiveness, tourist potential and attract additional funds to the country.

The measures outlined in the decree include the creation of legal foundations for the legalisation of activities related to risk-based games online, betting activities, and lotteries, implementation of mechanisms to protect citizens’ rights and interests, prevention of gambling addiction and the generation of additional state budget revenue.

Starting from January 1, 2025, a taxation system will be introduced for license holders, where organisers of online games, betting activities and lotteries will pay a turnover tax. This system aims to prevent the concealment of taxable revenue and is expected to generate additional tax revenues for the state budget.

Overall, the implementation of the decree is intended to establish a reliable foundation for the legal regulation of activities related to organising risk-based games online, betting activities and lotteries in Uzbekistan, protect citizens’ interests, combat gambling addiction and provide additional sources of income for the state budget.

Asia

PAGCOR POSTS 42% SURGE IN 1ST QUARTER INCOME TO PHP25.2 BILLION

Published

2 days ago

April 29, 2024

Adrienn Sarkany

Reading Time: 2 minutes

The Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation (PAGCOR) today said its total income for the first quarter of 2024 has reached Php25.24 billion, a 42.57% increase compared with the same period last year.

The three-month earnings put the state gaming firm on track to reach the Php100 billion annual income for the year, which would be a first in the 40-year history of the state gaming firm, according to PAGCOR Chairman and CEO Alejandro H. Tengco.

“We are happy to announce that PAGCOR is able to sustain our growth trajectory in the first quarter of 2024 and this should help position us into achieving another record breaking year,” Mr. Tengco said.

PAGCOR’s net operating income after expenses during the quarter stands at Php18.99 billion, which is 54.22% higher than the January-March 2023 figure of Php12.32 billion.

Gaming operations accounted for the bulk of Q1 revenues with Php22.29 billion. Of this amount, 43.46% or Php9.69 billion came from the E-Games sector (eBingo, eGames and Bingo grantees) while licensed casinos (integrated resorts) brought in Php8.04 billion (36.06%).

However, revenues from PAGCOR-run casinos under the Casino Filipino brand continued to slide, earning Php3.7 billion or 16.62% of the 1st quarter total. This is down from the 20.68% share it contributed to PAGCOR’s revenues in 2023.

Offshore gaming operations for its part contributed Php860.89 million or 3.86% of the 2024 1st quarter total gaming income.

“As we said earlier, the E-games sector will be our major source of gaming revenues this year and in the next few years as innovation and technological integration allows the sector to offer more excitement and convenience to gamers,” Mr. Tengco said.

“Our robust earnings also bode well for the government’s various socio-civic programs including funding for the Universal Healthcare Program which provides health insurance to millions of poor Filipinos through Philhealth,” he added.

Of the agency’s nearly Php19 billion net income in the first quarter of 2024, Php15.56 billion will go to its Contributions to Nation-Building. This includes the 5% franchise tax; 50% government share; shares for LGUs hosting PAGCOR casinos; other socio-civic projects; 5% share of the Philippine Sports Commission; funding for the Sports Incentives and Benefits Act; and 1% share of the Board of Claims to compensate persons who are wrongfully convicted.

PAGCOR’s previous earnings record was established in 2019 before the pandemic outbreak. In the first quarter of that year, total income was at Php19.49 billion, a number easily surpassed by this year’s first quarter earnings by nearly 30%