There are “plenty of reasons” for the global gaming industry to be “optimistic about the future,” said Bill Miller (pictured), president and chief executive of the American Gaming Association, in his keynote speech on Tuesday, the first day of Global Gaming Expo (G2E) Asia 2023 Special Edition: Singapore.
The three-day G2E Asia event – marking this year the second edition in Singapore – is a conference and trade show on the regional casino industry. The gathering, staged at the Marina Bay Sands casino resort, is organised by Reed Exhibitions and the American Gaming Association (AGA).
“If the comeback in Asia looks anything like what the comeback in the United States has been, we are all in for a very exciting period of time,” he stated in his speech, just before the oficial opening of the event.
The AGA president mentioned the example of the Philippines, saying the gaming market there “roared back in 2022, coming within just percentage points of pre-pandemic numbers”. In Singapore, some estimates showed gross gaming revenue (GGR) this year “will surpass 2018, which was an all-time record”.
“Macau is making headlines for all the right reasons, with a strong start for 2023 and each month topping the previous” in terms of GGR, he added.
“It really points to a robust global recovery,” he told conference delegates.
“Whether it’s in Singapore, Macau, or Las Vegas, G2E focuses on our shared passion for creating world-class gaming entertainment experiences, and it helps keep us innovating and raising the bar. I know that passion will continue to fuel the Asian market recovery from the pandemic,” said Mr Miller.
The organisers have said they were expecting about “6,000 visitors from Asia and abroad”, and “more than 100 exhibiting companies” during the conference and trade exhibition.
In his keynote speech, Mr Miller said gaming markets around the world were “becoming increasingly interconnected”. He also highlighted two issues that needed to be addressed by the industry: the fight against illegal gambling, and a commitment to be responsible leaders.
“Illegal gambling is an issue that tops our list of priorities in the United States, and together we need to make that a global commitment,” stated the CEO. “Illegal, unregulated gambling is our industry’s greatest threat. It poses a threat to competition, reputation, communities, customers, and creates an unfair advantage in the marketplace.”
He added: “We’re working with top law enforcement officials at the federal and state levels, educating policy makers and regulators on the size of the U.S. illegal market, which we estimated to be US$511 billion. This costs our industry US$44 billion in revenue and cost state governments over US$13 billion annually.”
The AGA executive also said the industry was “making deep investments to educate players, conduct research, and leveraging data to better identify, intervene, and treat problem gambling”.
“As our industry grows into new markets like sports betting and iGaming, being proactive is the way, is the solution,” said Mr Miller.
