Every year in early July a seething throng of humanity from across the planet descends on the Holy City in a surreal, even bizarre, experience. No...
Author - Andrew W Scott
Fighting the good fight
Since being appointed President and CEO of the American Gaming Association in April 2013, Geoff Freeman has carried on the organization's proud legacy of representing and standing...
Macau gaming operators release “sham survey” in desperate last minute bid to pressure the Macau Government on smoking regulations
Several highly reputable and...
From the Editor’s Desk (#35)
In the past this page was titled “From the CEO”. With the expansion of our parent company World Gaming Group’s activities in the region, such as recently launching gaming operations subsidiary World Players Entertainment (WPE)...
From the grassy knoll: Is China intentionally sabotaging Macau?
It was with interest I read this article yesterday from respected Las Vegas Review-Journal columnist Howard Stutz, saying he knows better than to wonder aloud whether “the Chinese government is trying to sabotage Macau’s already sinking...
From the CEO (#34)
Doom and gloom in Macau helps other Asian gaming destinations As I sit down to write this on February 10th, there is nothing but doom and gloom for the Macau gaming industry. The visa rules have changed making it tougher for Chinese to visit Macau...
New year, same problems
Between them Macau’s casinos made more than US$40 billion in gross gaming revenue in 2014 – not bad given this was the first time in more than a decade that gaming revenue had gone backwards – but if ever there was a time for concern it is...
Ho Tram: Industry vet signals new era
This article first appeared in the Mar/Apr 2015 issue of WGM. The Ho Tram development might have plenty going for it, but the past few years haven’t been easy. MGM’s decision to pull out of their management deal was one of a number of...
Ho Tram: Picture perfect
This article first appeared in the Mar/Apr 2015 issue of WGM. Tucked away on Vietnam’s pristine south-east coastline lies Ho Tram. Once a small beach town frequented by local city slickers looking to get away for a few days, it remains a...
Baccarat without the juice
This article first appeared in the Mar/Apr 2015 issue of WGM. No matter what their table game of choice is, players the world over generally agree on one thing – a fast game is a good game. Lose a hand? Quick, let’s move onto the next one...
Venetian Macao ditches David Beckham “Never Settle” ad campaign 2 days before launch
Venetian Macao’s much anticipated “Never Settle” advertising campaign starring David Beckham has been unceremoniously dumped just two days before launch. About a week ago this writer received an exciting “one-time...
Analysing Adelson’s “witch hunt” comment
Las Vegas Sands Chairman and CEO and Sands China Chairman and soon-to-be CEO Sheldon Adelson was on the publicity trail last week – with a public talk with students at Macau’s Institute for Tourism Studies (IFT) and an interview with Macau...
Macau conquers the West
Amid all the doom and gloom being sprouted recently about the decline in Macau’s revenue growth over the past 12 months, a major milestone in the region’s development this week very nearly slipped under the radar. Paradise Entertainment...
Ed Tracy leaves big shoes to fill
Like most in the Macau gaming landscape, we were caught by surprise last month when Sands China President and CEO Ed Tracy announced he would be retiring effective from 6 March. Gaming executives may come and go, but few can claim to have made such...
From the CEO (#33)
Welcome to the all-new WGM! It seems like only yesterday we were celebrating the launch party of World Gaming magazine at The View at Sands Macao – but it was actually back in December 2009. It was another Sands venue, the Bellini lounge at...
Alvin Chau: Suncity’s supremo speaks
This article first appeared in the Jan/Feb 2015 issue of World Gaming magazine. Alvin Chau has traditionally played hard to get with the media, so it was with great pleasure that we took the opportunity to sit down with the CEO of Macau’s...
From the CEO (#32)
November and December – my favorite time of year in Macau. The heat and humidity has subsided but the colder weather of January and February has yet to make an appearance. November is also the month of the Macao Gaming Show at Venetian Macao...
Away from the game
This article first appeared in the Nov/Dec 2014 issue of World Gaming magazine. Macau is an amazing place – a gambling-driven tourist mecca that so far this year has drawn an average of 87,000 visitors every single day. The predominant attraction...
From the CEO (#31)
As I write this I am back in Macau after the long round the world trip I take every summer which always includes playing in the world’s most prestigious poker tournament – the World Series of Poker Main Event in Las Vegas. This year was my...
Why?
This article first appeared in the Sep/Oct 2014 issue of World Gaming magazine. There is more than one way to gamble in Macau. While many of our readers have had their fair share of success on the baccarat, sic-bo and poker tables, others have made...
WSOP Main Event Debrief
Our intrepid CEO Andrew W Scott is playing the World Series of Poker (WSOP) Main Event in Las Vegas at the moment and doing well! He has made it to day 4. His end of day 3 debrief is below. The last three days of poker have certainly been a...
From the CEO (#30)
Phil Ivey. Most argue he is the greatest poker player alive today – and he’s famously reclusive, shying away from media attention and rarely giving interviews. That’s why we’re incredibly proud to bring you a long format in-depth...
Phil Ivey: A league of his own
This article first appeared in the Jul/Aug 2014 issue of World Gaming magazine. Mr Phil Ivey, the person many claim to be the greatest poker player on the planet, was recently in Macau and agreed to an in-depth interview with our CEO Andrew W Scott...
Macau’s next generation
This article first appeared in the Jul/Aug 2014 issue of World Gaming magazine. Ed: WGM’s CEO Andrew W Scott was invited to conduct a session with students studying the Master of Science in International Integrated Resort Management at the...
From the CEO (#29)
The World Cup. Amazing how quickly four years rolls around again. And in Brazil no less – it’s the King of World Cups. This will be huge, the greatest sporting event the world has ever seen. Olympics – bah, humbug. With Brazil in the...
From the CEO (#28)
Welcome to WGM#28 – yet another fun and action packed instalment of our mag! This is the issue where you get to test your gaming smarts – and hopefully earn bragging rights over your friends in the process. Are you a shark gliding your way with...
Blackjack: The concept of expected value
This article first appeared in the Mar/Apr 2014 issue of World Gaming magazine. Baccarat might be far and away the most popular game in Macau, but you’d be hard pressed finding any regular or occasional gambler who hasn’t mixed it up...
From the CEO (#27)
It seems like just yesterday we were planning to launch WGM, but with the clock ticking over to 2014 it represents the start of our 5th year of publishing in Macau! Happy New Year to all our readers! WGM#27 is certainly an action packed mag! Where...
MGS: The verdict
This article first appeared in the Jan/Feb 2014 issue of World Gaming magazine. Trade shows are incredibly important to any industry. The collective wisdom they create shapes the direction the industry heads in – and ultimately what that industry...
Power People: Mr Edward Tracy
This article first appeared in the Jan/Feb 2014 issue of World Gaming magazine. Welcome to “Power People”, a series of interviews by our CEO Andrew W Scott with some of Macau and Asia’s heaviest hitters. Our Power People series...