Manila moves up Asian casino ladder

Recent openings of City of Dreams Manila and Solaire Resort and Casino’s Sky Tower have elevated the Philippine capital’s place in the Asian gaming pecking order. Full build out of the two resorts, plus the completion of two more $1 billion-plus casino properties in the coming years, aim to boost tourism and move the Philippines into the top echelon of gaming destinations in the region, and even the world.

Totally globalized native New Yorker and former broadcast news producer Muhammad Cohen is a blogger for Forbes and author of Hong Kong On Air, a novel set in his adopted hometown during the 1997 handover about television news, love, betrayal, high finance, and cheap lingerie. See his bio, online archive and more at www.muhammadcohen.com; follow him on Facebook and Twitter @MuhammadCohen.

Japan vote could boost casino hopes

Prime Minister Shinzo Abe wants to legalize casinos for Japan as part of his economic revival plan known as Abenomics. In Sunday’s vote, his Liberal Democratic Party’s expected landslide victory could give new momentum to casino legalization, but only if Abe and his allies begin convincing the Japanese public that casinos are a good idea.

Totally globalized native New Yorker and former broadcast news producer Muhammad Cohen is a blogger for Forbes and author of Hong Kong On Air, a novel set in his adopted hometown during the 1997 handover about television news, love, betrayal, high finance, and cheap lingerie. See his bio, online archive and more at www.muhammadcohen.com; follow him on Facebook and Twitter @MuhammadCohen.

Macau transit visa scare overblown: analysts

Union Gaming Research Macau analysts crossed over the border into mainland China for a reality check on the much discussed crackdown on transit visas to Macau that’s hit casino share prices over the past week. Analysts Grant Govertsen and Felicity Chiang found that it’s business as usual for the transit visa cottage industry in neighboring Zhuhai.

Totally globalized native New Yorker and former broadcast news producer Muhammad Cohen is a blogger for Forbes and author of Hong Kong On Air, a novel set in his adopted hometown during the 1997 handover about television news, love, betrayal, high finance, and cheap lingerie. See his bio, online archive and more at www.muhammadcohen.com; follow him on Facebook and Twitter @MuhammadCohen.

Despite casino slump, Macau shopping not dropping

Las Vegas Sands subsidiary Sands China’s big bet on Macau retailing keeps paying off, even as casino revenue slumps. Rival gaming operators hope to catch up when the new wave of resorts begins opening next year, but they’ve got a long way to go.

Totally globalized native New Yorker and former broadcast news producer Muhammad Cohen is a blogger for Forbes and author of Hong Kong On Air, a novel set in his adopted hometown during the 1997 handover about television news, love, betrayal, high finance, and cheap lingerie. See his bio, online archive and more at www.muhammadcohen.com; follow him on Facebook and Twitter @MuhammadCohen.

Macau casinos roll toward a losing year

November produced the lowest revenue for Macau casinos since September 2012, down nearly 20% from last year. After six straight months of year-on-year falls, the world’s gaming capital is heading for its first annual decline in casino revenue since the end of its gaming monopoly in 2004, with little hope for a rebound until the middle of next year.

Totally globalized native New Yorker and former broadcast news producer Muhammad Cohen is a blogger for Forbes and author of Hong Kong On Air, a novel set in his adopted hometown during the 1997 handover about television news, love, betrayal, high finance, and cheap lingerie. See his bio, online archive and more at www.muhammadcohen.com; follow him on Facebook and Twitter @MuhammadCohen.