The world is slowly getting back to its feet amidst the pandemic. One of the most hit industries is the casino industry, but lately, we have been seeing some developments in this area. Today, we are going to bring you some of the latest happenings in the world of gaming.
Macau Thinking About e-Visa
Macau is the gambling capital of the world, and the pandemic has done devastating damage to its economy. Tourists are not coming, and the government has to do something about it. One of the things that officials are discussing is the resumption of the e-visa process—they are looking forward to resuming it.
The e-visa process is part of the Individual Visit Scheme or IVS. In January 2020, Macau suspended the e-visa applications in response to the pandemic. What happened then was that Macau residents could not go to Hong Kong. The process now is that people who want to go to Macau will have to apply for a visa in person. As such, the processing time can extend up to two weeks.
It has been a year since that directive was put in place. Arrivals to Macau declined severely from 34 million in 2019 to only 5 million by the end of 2020. Because of this, the gross gaming revenue of Macau is down by 79%.
The plan is to switch back to the old process where people will get their visas processed in as short as one day. Digital processing is what will make this happen. This plan is being seriously discussed because of the new strains of the COVID-19 virus. There are mandatory quarantines and restrictions in the country.
Those who live in Taiwan, Hong Kong and mainland China are permitted entry. However, it is not easy. They have to pass what is called a nucleic acid test and also go through a quarantine supervised by the government. The quarantine could last between two and three weeks for visitors.
Canada Approves Operation of Several Gaming Companies
On the other side of the world, Canada has been gearing up on its gaming industry, including wagering in sports events. This development comes after the introduction of Bill C-218 last year. This bill was seeking to legalize single-game betting in the whole country.
Although sports betting has always been considered legal, they have seen the need to modernize the betting process. This bill will allow other provinces to start offering a better betting framework. Also, the bill will make it safer for gamblers to place their bets.
If this bill is finally approved, it is going to be a boon for many operators. For one, a company called Score Media will have a dominant move, as it has a mobile app that allows Canadians to bet with their mobile phones. If this bill materializes into law, many other companies will follow suit and get approved to operate as online gambling facilities.
Harrah’s Now Has a Digital Crap Table
Even land-based casinos have to do something to face this financial slump in the casino industry. As such, Harrah’s recently unveiled a digital craps table in Las Vegas. You still have to go there physically, but the digital craps table minimizes touching and thus, prevents the spread of COVID-19.
Unlike other crap tables, this one has a name. It is called Roll to Win Craps. It is a hybrid game where the players will toss dice on the craps table. The table is electronic, and it shows digital information about the result of the throw.
At this table, players are separated by glasses, thus making an effective barrier between them. They also have access to individual screens on their respective stations where they can see the results.
This table is on the east side of the Strip. Harrah’s is counting on it to draw more crowds amidst the COVID-19 crisis. The company that made the game is Aruze Gaming America Inc. It is the first machine of its kind, and we can expect to see other land-based casinos doing the same thing. Perhaps, the same principle shall be applied to other games like blackjack.
This move from Harrah’s is innovative. Soon, we may be looking at online operators like Vulkan Casino adopting the technology, but the players no longer have to play in person.
Singapore Thinks Chinese Players Are Gone for Good
In Sentosa, Singapore, Resorts World officials believe that their patrons, mostly Chinese, will no longer be able to support them. This comes after Chinese President Xi Jinping told law enforcement agencies in China to prevent the Chinese people from travelling overseas for the mere purpose of gambling.
This directive comes with stiff penalties which include prison time of up to ten years. The purpose of this directive is not just to prevent Chinese people from getting infected with new COVID-19 strains but also to make sure that Chinese money does not go elsewhere. Annually, China is losing $150 billion because gamblers lose this money in other countries. Gambling is illegal in Mainland China, with the exception of the state-run lottery. As such, Chinese gamblers go to Macau and other Asian countries to gamble. With this new directive, Singapore is going to lose a majority of its customer base.
