Innovate Gaming Review 2013/14 Edition 1 | Page 28

INNOVATE GAMING | MARKETS - OCEANIA INNOVATE GAMING | MARKETS - OCEANIA Samoa Saipan Samoa, a tiny country that sits 5,550km west of Australia in the South Pacific Ocean, is looking to boost tourism with casino gaming. The Samoan government is seeking a new operator after it withdrew a license issued to Chinese group ETG earlier this year. After numerous failed attempts to legalise casinos in Saipan, a self-governed US territory in the western Pacific, the local government is considering a new gambling measure. It aims to create a cash infusion for the island’s Retirement Fund, which is eight months from depleting. The Gambling Control Authority (GCA) of Samoa awarded two casino licenses in February to Aggie Greys Beach Resort in Samoa and Exhibition Tourism Group (ETG) of China. Seven companies applied for the licenses but Fanene Samau Etuale, GCSA Chairman, indicated that “one reason Aggie’s won one of the licenses is its successful history as a hotel operator since 1937” and “it was not difficult to award ETG the other license” as it is known for “tourism development”. The House of Representative passed the Saipan casino gambling measure [HB 18-45] by a 13-7 vote last month that would legalise casinos and allow electronic gaming machines at hotels in the Commonwealth of Northern Mariana Islands (CNMI). There are currently casinos in the archipelago’s inhabited areas of Tinian and Rota, but not in Saipan, the most densely populated island where the capital is located. “We’ve got to be able to see the bigger picture,” expressed Lupesina Fred Grey, Owner & Director of Aggie Greys, the nation’s second largest employer. “We need to look at the possibility of creating more employment, foreign exchange, tourism development, new activities for tourism and taxes for the government and the Totalisator Agency Board, which will ultimately benefit young people.” Aggie Greys has contracted Macau-based casino management group Asia Pacific Gambling to manage assist with management and operation of the casino. It is expected to launch the facility late this year or early next year, which would have been two to three years ahead of ETG. The Chinese firm had planned to build a 500-room hotel for its gaming operation, but the plan was soon dismissed after it was discovered that ETG Chairman, Deng Hong was being investigated for corruption by Communist Party officials over land deals in China. After the accusations were aired internationally, the Samoan government earlier this month withdrew its license. “We need to make a decision about whether we go back to market for the license or whether we just continue on with one license,” said Robbie Kearney, GCA CEO. “The GCA board will, over the next couple of months, give consideration to what they’re going to do. Some decisions will be made and we’ll make the appropriate announcements at the appropriate time.” Under Samoan law, casinos can only be operated within hotels and only foreign passport holders are allowed to play. It was passed in 2010 as a way to help recover from a 2009 tsunami that wiped away 30-percent of the country’s economy. In 2012, Samoa’s economy was reportedly worth a mere $677 million. “Samoa needs to be innovative and move ahead with the times,” added Lupesina. “There is a real need to ??????????????????????????????????????????????????'?e????????????????????????????)?????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????)??????????????????????????????????????????Q???????????????????????????????????????????)??????????????t((??()%??????????????()!???? ??????????!????????????????????M?????)???????????????????????????????????????????????)????!?????????????e????????????????????I???????)????????????????????????????????????????????)??????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????e??????????????)??????????????????)?????????????M??????Q????????????????????????????????????????????q?????????????t?????(???????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????)???????????e????????????????????q???????????????????????t?????????????????????????????)?????????????????????M??????????????????????????????????)U?????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????)????????????M?????????????????????????????????????????????Q???I????????????)???????????????????????????5???????????????????????????????????????????????????L?????)????????????????????+?qQ?????????????????t?????????I????????????????????????????????q!??????????????????????????)?????????????????$??????????????????????????????????????$????????????????????????????????)????????t)???????%???????????????????? 95$????????????????????M??????????????q????????????)?????????t?????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????)??????????????????q]??????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????)???????????????t???????%???)Q?????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????M????????????????????)????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????)??????????????????????????? ??????????????????????????????????????????????????????????)?????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????+?q1????????????????????????t?????????)???????????!????M????????q1????????????????)?????????????????????????????????????Q???????????????????????????????????e??????????)???????????????t)%????????????I??????????((??((