Asia Gaming Weekly News Bulletin – ISSUE 8 Week of 31 March 2025
(1) HK launches consultation on regulating basketball betting#news-01
The Hong Kong government has launched a public consultation to regulate basketball betting, proposing a framework based on football betting to combat illegal activities and mitigate social issues.
(2) Macau finance secretary promises casino operators’ non-gaming investments are being tracked
Macau’s government is monitoring casino operators to ensure they meet their contractual obligation to invest MOP108.7 billion (US$13.48 billion) in non-gaming projects over ten years.
(3) Korea’s Paradise Co reports 15% sequential increase in casino revenues to US$55 million in March
Paradise Co reported a 51.6% year-on-year increase in March casino revenue to KRW81.0 billion (US$55.3 million), driven by a rise in table games revenue, while the company plans to develop a luxury hotel in Seoul and upgrade its VIP gaming areas to attract international guests.
(4) Six Japanese comedians referred to prosecutors for allegedly gambling on online casinos
The Tokyo Metropolitan Police have referred six male entertainers from Yoshimoto Kogyo Co. to prosecutors for allegedly gambling on online casinos.
(1) HK launches consultation on regulating basketball betting
(Photo Credit: Joy Hu/ China Daily)
The Hong Kong Special Administrative Region government has launched a public consultation aimed at regulating basketball betting activities to combat illegal gambling. This initiative follows concerns from the public regarding the prevalence of illegal basketball betting, which has been estimated to generate between HK$70 billion and HK$90 billion in 2024. The proposed regulatory framework is modelled on the existing legal football betting system, incorporating measures to address the associated social issues.
Under the new proposal, the Secretary for Home and Youth Affairs will have the authority to issue licences for basketball betting to the Hong Kong Jockey Club (HKJC) and set conditions designed to mitigate the negative impacts of gambling. Key provisions include prohibiting bets from juveniles and banning credit betting, as well as restricting betting on matches involving local teams or held in Hong Kong. This aims to foster a healthier environment for basketball in the region.
Also, the HKJC will be required to display warnings about the dangers of excessive gambling and provide information on support services for gambling disorders. Alongside this, the government has decided to renew the HKJC’s football betting licence for five years, effective 18 July 2025, indicating an ongoing commitment to regulating gambling activities in Hong Kong.
News Source: https://www.chinadailyasia.com/hk/article/608535
(2) Macau finance secretary promises casino operators’ non-gaming investments are being tracked
(Photo Credit: Focus Gaming News Asia Pacific)
Macau’s government, led by Secretary for Economy and Finance Tai Kin Ip, has confirmed that it is closely monitoring casino operators to ensure compliance with their contractual obligations regarding non-gaming investments. Each of the six casino operators is required to invest a minimum of MOP108.7 billion (approximately US$13.48 billion) in non‑gaming projects over a ten-year period.
To oversee this compliance, independent groups will assess investment performance every three years, with operators required to submit reports by the end of March and their upcoming year’s investment plans by the end of September. This scrutiny aims to ensure that the non-gaming initiatives contribute to the diversification of Macau’s economy beyond its reliance on gaming.
In related financial news, Macau’s casino tax revenue has seen a decline, with the Financial Services Bureau reporting MOP14.24 billion (US$1.78 billion) collected in the first two months of the year, down 3.8 per cent year-on-year. Although gross gaming revenue (GGR) for this period increased slightly to MOP38 billion, the tax revenue cannot be directly compared due to delays in recognition.
News Source: https://focusgn.com/asia-pacific/macau-finance-secretary-promises-casino-operators-non-gaming-investments-are-being-tracked
(3) Korea’s Paradise Co reports 15% sequential increase in casino revenues to US$55 million in March
(Photo Credit: Inside Asian Gaming)
Paradise Co, the leading foreigner-only casino operator in Korea, reported casino revenue of KRW81.0 billion (US$55.3 million) for March, marking a significant year-on-year increase of 51.6% and a 15.3% rise from February. This revenue growth included a 16.6% increase in table games revenue, which reached KRW76.9 billion (US$52.5 million), while revenue from machine games saw a decline of 4.5% to KRW4.07 billion (US$2.78 million).
Despite a slight year-on-year decrease in table drop to KRW589.1 billion (US$402 million), there was a notable 12.1% increase compared to February. The strong performance in March follows a successful 2024 for Paradise, with total casino revenues climbing by 10.2% to KRW818.8 billion (US$556 million), reinforcing its dominance in the foreigner-only casino market.
Paradise Co operates four casinos across Korea, including the integrated resort Paradise City in Incheon, a collaboration with Japan’s Sega Sammy, as well as locations in Seoul, Busan, and Jeju. The company has also announced plans to develop a luxury hotel in Seoul and enhance its VIP gaming areas to attract more international guests.
News Source: https://asgam.com/2025/04/02/koreas-paradise-co-reports-15-sequential-increase-in-casino-revenues-to-us55-million-in-march/
(4) Six Japanese comedians referred to prosecutors for allegedly gambling on online casinos
(Photo Credit: Mainichi/ Miki Hirano)
The Tokyo Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) has sent documents to prosecutors on 3 April 2025 regarding six male entertainers from Yoshimoto Kogyo Co., who are accused of gambling on online casinos, with all reportedly admitting to the allegations. The individuals allegedly accessed online casino sites like “Sportsbet.io” to play games, including baccarat, between 20 January 2023, and 29 December 2024.
One of the suspects reportedly deposited around 51 million yen (about $345,000) and incurred losses of approximately 12 million yen (around $81,300). Yoshimoto, a member of the comedy duo Daitaku, mentioned to investigators that he became interested in gambling in 2022 and engaged in it frequently during his commute and downtime.
The allegations emerged following a tip-off to Yoshimoto Kogyo, prompting the MPD to conduct interviews with nearly ten entertainers since February to assess their gambling activities, as online gambling is illegal in Japan, even on overseas sites.
News Source: https://mainichi.jp/english/articles/20250403/p2a/00m/0na/006000c
