The Global Gaming Expo Asia (G2E Asia) 2024 opened today at the Cotai Expo in The Venetian Macao, with the event scheduled to run until 6 June.
Considered to be the leading gaming-related exhibition in Asia, G2E Asia 2024 is taking place alongside the Asian IR Expo, which is geared towards the non-gaming operations of the region’s “integrated resorts” – that is, resorts combining casinos with other leisure facilities. Both events are anticipated to draw in over 8,000 participants over three days.
The first day kicked off with a keynote address by the president and CEO of the American Gaming Association (AGA), Bill Miller, who spoke about the importance of Macao’s gaming industry, noting that it “is one of the industry’s biggest markets and hosts some of gaming’s most iconic properties.”
Miller added that “The post COVID recovery, it might have started more slowly, but it is building tremendous momentum” and pointed out that in Macao, the gross gaming revenue had already reached 75 percent of its pre-covid level. He also drew attention to investments in the non–gaming sector, which were widening the gaming industry’s customer base.
Turning to the rest of Asia, the AGA head said that Singapore had recovered substantially from the pandemic, while the Philippines had “emerged as one of the fastest growing markets in the Asia Pacific region.”
[See more: Macao is winning at tourism, warns top Hong Kong business leader]
After his speech, Miller took part in a discussion with the CEO of specialist publication Inside Asia Gaming, Andrew W. Scott, and cast his eye further afield. Miller pointed out that the Ras Al Khaimah property, which is being developed by Wynn in the UAE, will be the first major integrated resort to open in 2027. Japan was also mentioned, with the AGA president praising a new US$10 billion integrated resort being built in Osaka, which he said was “going to be the Sydney Opera House of Osaka,” and would “draw an estimated 20 million visitors when it goes live.”
The topic of the relationship between regulators and the casinos was also broached, with Miller pointing out that “it is very important that regulators and operators have an arm’s length relationship, but it doesn’t have to be adversarial.” The expert stated that the casino operators should act in a non-predatory manner and be responsible to the community if they are to avoid having issues with regulators.
A number of other high-profile speakers have been invited to speak at the two expos, including Morgan Stanley Asia analyst, Praveen Choudhary, and the vice president of table operations at MGM China, Graeme Croft.
This is the 15th anniversary of G2E Asia and the second year since the inauguration of the Asian IR Expo.
