Galaxy Entertainment Look to Expand into Japan and Taiwan

Galaxy Entertainment Group may have just bought the Grand Waldo Complex from Get Nice Holdings, but its expansion plans are not limited to Macau. Indeed, Galaxy are looking to enter two new markets, as Japanese gambling laws loosen up to allow the building of new super casinos in time for the 2020 Olympic Games.

Also in their sights is Taiwan, a country whose gambling market is opening up after a 15 year old gambling ban was lifted in 2009. As of yet there is no regulation, but it’s expected to happen in the near future.

Meanwhile, Japan looks set to give the go ahead to casino projects in Tokyo and elsewhere. While there are – yet – no plans for online casinos in Japan, this is a major change in stance from the government, and could signal a rush of major companies to the Japanese islands. Indeed, major American operators are expressing interest already.

Galaxy have already set aside some large sums to help them build casinos in these two markets, with up to $4 billion set aside for new facilities, including a sports and non-gambling complex on China’s Hengqin island.

Despite the mobile casinos revolution in Europe, casino companies in Asia are still focused on land based projects, mainly due to the profitability of the lucrative high roller market. Indeed, Chinese high rollers, in particular, are seen as one of the most profitable groups of gamblers across the world, and many companies are looking to make inroads into attracting those punters.

As such, the Asian casino marketplace is set to undergo a rapid transformation in the coming years, as other countries try to prize open Macau’s near monopoly. Russia have announced their new casino project close to Vladivostok in their Primorye gambling zone, while Australia, the Philippines, and Singapore are all looking to build new casinos in the near future.