Poker Central plans inaugural Super High Roller Bowl China

Poker Central, the ultimate poker lifestyle destination, teamed up with Macau Billionaire Poker -- a well-known name in Asia-based high roller poker tournaments -- to expand the Super High Roller Bowl overseas with the inaugural Super High Roller Bowl China. The prize pool will be $100 million HKD, which is guaranteed by Macau Billionaire Poker.

Super High Roller Bowl China will take place on Tuesday, 20 March through Thursday, 22 March at Casino Babylon, Macau Fisherman's Wharf, in Macau, China. The buy-in is $2,000,000 + $100,000 HKD, and there will be an additional 3% administrative fee taken from the prize pool. Super High Roller Bowl China will feature a cap of 49 players and is an unlimited re-entry event.

"As the annual Super High Roller Bowl out of Las Vegas continues to be the gold standard for high roller tournament poker, we knew the time was right to expand the format globally," said Sampson Simmons, vice president of content at Poker Central. "China is one of poker's largest markets, and Macau Billionaire Poker is a natural partner to help bring the Super High Roller Bowl series to poker fans internationally."

"We are delighted to launch a new edition of the Super High Roller Bowl with Poker Central," said Tim Chen, CEO of Macau Billionaire Poker. "We wanted to raise the stakes by providing a prize pool befitting of the event's renowned stature. We can't wait to see what unfolds at this inaugural event."

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Macau government offices attend MGS Entertainment Show opening

There was a show of strength from the Governments of the Central People's Republic and Macau SAR at the opening day of the MGS Entertainment Show. Officials from both governments were out in force to open the fourth edition of the exhibition on 15 November at the Venetian Macao. The event, which is owned and run by Macau's gaming trade association MGEMA, opened in encouraging style, featuring its highest number of exhibitors (170+), covering an increased floorspace of almost 13,000 (+8%). Early visitor numbers for the first morning were in line with last year's record-setting show.

A total of six Macau Government offices attended the opening ceremony and tour of the exhibition floor, with Beijing represented at MGS by its Economic Affairs Department Liaison Office in Macao. The 10-strong party from the two Governments confirms the growing relationship between MGS and the legislators, a partnership which ranges from sponsorship for the exhibition to grant aid schemes to visitors from overseas.

Other keynote attendees this year include representatives from the Tribal Gaming sector in the United States; the Isle of Man Government and the influential advisors association IAGA. Among the countries showing a marked increase in attendance are Israel and Japan.

Jay Chun, Chairman of the MGEMA, which owns and organises the show, said: "It's vital for the growth of the MGS Entertainment Show that the Government, both here in Macau and in the PRC, backs our aspirations and vision. Their attendance in numbers reinforces our direction and adds great confidence going forward.

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Macau gaming market settling says Adelson

MACAO -- Las Vegas Sands saw its Q4 Macau earnings fall 19 percent, which turned out to be less than analysts had predicted, according to Bloomberg.

Sheldon Adelson said in response that Macau's gaming market is stabilizing, the report said.

China's crackdown on corruption saw a full year of monthly revenue review decline in Macau, however December was the lowest dip since last January, Bloomberg noted.

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Report alleges China believed Macau Sands infiltrated by CIA

MACAO -- A private investigator's report has revealed China's fears that Macau Sands were in league with the CIA, the Guardian reported.

Chinese officials believed US casinos based in Macau had allowed CIA officers to infiltrate and spy on officials with a view to blackmailing them, the report said.

The Sands has dismissed the report as meaningless speculation, according to the Guardian.

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Macau revenue at its lowest in four years

MACAO -- Figures released show Macau's casino revenue was at its lowest number in June for the past four years, Bloomberg reported.

Gaming revenue was down 36.2 percent in June which was less than estimates had suggested, the report said.

Not since November 2010 has revenue been seen at this level, the Bloomberg report noted.

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Macau casino stocks tumble on June forecast

MACAO -- Stocks fell on the news that analysts had lowered their revenue forecasts for June, Bloomberg reported.

Melco Crown saw a drop of 5.1 percent, Wynn Macau 4.5 percent, Galaxy Entertainment Group 3.7 percent and Las Vegas Sands Corp. (Macau) fell 1.7 percent, Bloomberg said

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Asia Pacific Poker Tour releases schedules for Macau Poker Cup and Asia Championship of Poker

The Asia Pacific Poker Tour (APPT) has unveiled the schedules for the two remaining stops at the ‘PokerStars LIVE Macau’ poker room for Season 9.

MACAU POKER CUP

The 23rd edition of the Macau Poker Cup (MPC23) will be held from August 28 to September 13, and features the legendary HK$12,000 Red Dragon Main Event which comes with a HK$5 million prize pool guarantee. The popular Red Dragon event holds the record in Macau for most unique players at 995.

There will be a total of 17 Official Asia Player of the Year (APOY) events on the schedule, which includes the HK$6,000 Baby Dragon event, HK$5,000 Megastack, HK$20,000 NLH, and HK$80,000 High Roller.

Two-time Red Dragon champion Celina Lin has been confirmed for MPC23 as are fellow Team PokerStars Pros Bryan Huang, Vivian Im, Aditya Agarwal, and Kosei Ichinose.

SCHEDULE HIGHLIGHTS

Date, Time, Tournament (all figures in HKD)
Aug 28, 8 p.m., $2,000 Deepstack NLH (200k GTD)
Aug 29, 6 p.m., $6,000 Baby Dragon (1m GTD)
Sep 4, 7 p.m., $5,000 Megastack (500k GTD)
Sep 5, 6 p.m., $12,000 Red Dragon Main Event (5m GTD) – Day 1a
Sep 6, 2 p.m., $12,000 Red Dragon Main Event (5m GTD) – Day 1b
Sep 7, 2 p.m., $12,000 Red Dragon Main Event (5m GTD) – Day 1c
Sep 8, 7 p.m., $12,000 Red Dragon Main Event (5m GTD) – Day 1d
Sep 10, 7 p.m., $20,000 NLH (1m GTD)
Sep 11. 7:30 p.m., $80,000 High Roller (1 re-entry)

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Macao confident on expansion

MACAU -- Macau development continues unabated with Galaxy Entertainment Group due to open a casino later this month, Bloomberg reported.

Likewise next year Melco Crown Entertainment will open its Studio City a Hollywood-themed casino-resort, the report said.

Sands China Ltd will also unveil its Parisian Macao, which comes with a mock half-pint version of the Eiffel Tower, according to Bloomberg.

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Macau casino revenue, - 39% in March

Bad news for Macau. Chinese’s troubled casino market saw gaming revenue fall 39 percent in March, the region’s 10th straight monthly decrease, according to the Macau Gaming Inspection and Coordination Bureau.

The three dozen large and small casinos in Macau — including resorts operated by Las Vegas Sands Corp., Wynn Resorts Ltd., and MGM Resorts International — collected $2.69 billion in revenue during the month.

The 39 percent dip follows February’s single-month record 49 percent drop. The March figure also marked the seventh straight month Macau casinos have reported double-digit declines in revenue.

The downward spiral began last June when the Chinese government began a crackdown on corruption that has targeted the high-end junket operators who bring gamblers to Macau’s VIP casino rooms. Many of the junkets reportedly have ties to Chinese organized crime triads.

Wall Street analysts expect the gaming revenue declines to continue.

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Slower Chinese New Year hits Macau shares

MACAO -- Chinese New Year gambling in Macau casinos was not the expected high boon time and casino shares have responded, Bloomberg reported. Traditionally it affords Macau a peak time for Chinese travellers and high rollers gambling in the territory, the report said. A number of analysts have speculated that gross revenue could fall 53.5 percent year on year for January, Bloomberg said.

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