Vladivostok – the Next Gaming Hub?

Right after Macau, could Vladivostok potentially become the next gaming destination in Asia.

Looking at the overall Asian landscape, the most prominent gambling hub can be found in Macau. All the biggest high-rollers of the region know that this is the one place to go to when you’re feeling lucky and could gain a “few” bucks on the wheels. One of the reasons for Macau’s popularity is that players can jump on their private planes and be wagering on the tables within a short period of time, thanks to the close proximity to all the major Asian cities.

• Vladivostok is looking to be major gambling hub
• Primorsky Krai is 1 of 4 gambling zones in Russia
• Chinese investments make way for new Russian casino

However, now there are gambling news emerging that indicate a new casino mecca may be brewing. And it is not South Korea, where they are preparing to host the 2018 Winter Olympics, nor Japan either, a nation that will hold the 2020 Summer Olympics. It is in fact Vladivostok, one of Russia’s easternmost towns that could serve the needs of the wealthy gamblers quite well.

Vladivostok looking to make it on the big stage

Some may be surprised that Russia is planning to make Vladivostok its main gambling hub, especially considering that some may not even know where to locate it on the map. It is the capital city of the Primorsky Krai, which serves as a major economic area for the Russian Far East. And that is the beauty of it, as Vladivostok is located merely 2 hours from the big Asian cities: Tokyo, Beijing and Seoul. These destinations are packed with gamblers that are looking for great entertainment and gambling pursuits.

Vladivostok itself may seem a little strange considering it is a more European-looking town, instead of a typical Asian city. However, the investors behind the ambitious project believe they can attract high-rollers to their potential casinos by offering superior gaming services. This mission will undoubtedly be hard to achieve as Macau has set the bar rather high. Some would even argue that the former Portuguese colony cannot be matched in any way. However according to mobile betting providers, in recent times it has seen its fortunes decline by a small margin, which immediately calls for new and exciting destinations to be made available.

It is believed that there are well over 300 million players that could be serviced in this region, so developing gaming facilities seems like a logical step for Russia. Furthermore, this would help the world’s biggest nation add another level to its tourism offerings, which is also part of the overall objective for the Russian Eastern region.

Politics play an important role between Russia and China

Over the last few years, politics have played an increasing role between Russia and China. Both countries have signed many agreements which will see them partner up on numerous projects. This has recently led to China’s newest development that saw them start on a large-scale infrastructure plan in the region. This hasn’t been neglected by international casino developers and investments parties. Many gaming companies have decided to bring their expertise and skills of the industry to try and create a sustainable network in the promising area.

Popular businessman and casino developer known as Lawrence Ho, the owner Summit Ascent Holdings Ltd., stated that they will be opening a new gaming property close to Vladivostok this August. The casino will be located only 50 kilometers from the city, however unlike the lavish casinos he owns in Macau, this one will be slightly scaled down. It will feature 800 slot machines, 65 casino tables and 121 hotel rooms. Reports suggest that punters who partake in online sports betting in Malaysia will also be looking to make a trip to the Russian town.

The soon-to-be launched casino will bear the name “Tigre De Cristal” and it is going to be the first one to open in the Primorye Integrated Entertainment Zone (IEZ). Under Russian gambling laws, casinos are not allowed to operate anywhere except the 4 special gambling areas: Kaliningrad Oblast, Krasnodar Krai, Altai Krai and the popular Primorsky Krai. The last one on the list is looking to be the most profitable of them all, as it was intentionally chosen as a gambling zone due to its close proximity to the large Asian gambling market. Considering the tendencies of Asian high-rollers, we should be seeing more casinos opening up in Far East Russian region in the near future.