After three years of stagnation caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, economic and trade activities in the region have gradually resumed in full swing over the lifting of travel restrictions. A major casino industry trade show and conference, Global Gaming Expo Asia (G2E Asia), is now returning with two shows: “G2E Asia Special Edition: Singapore” in the island state from May 30 to June 1, followed by the “Asian IR Expo + G2E Asia 2023” in Macau from July 11 to 13.

It is not the first time for G2E Asia to take place at Marina Bay Sands in Singapore, following its debut last year. “G2E Asia 2022 Special Edition: Singapore welcomed nearly 5,000 visitors, reuniting the Asian gaming community in-person for the first time since 2019,” Reed Exhibitions tells Macau Business, which is an organiser of the G2E Asia trade shows alongside the American Gaming Association. 

“[The edition in Singapore] marked a milestone for G2E Asia, which serves to connect thousands of gaming’s leading suppliers and operators with visitors of the most important gaming and entertainment countries in Asia,” the organiser says in a statement.

Thus, it comes as no surprise that the event is going to be staged in the island state again later this month. “The Singapore event in May falls nicely in the global gaming event calendar and allows our customers to go back to their normal routine of attending all the major global gaming events,” Reed Exhibitions adds.

Awaiting more visitors

The upcoming edition of the three-day event will focus on catering the content in various aspects across a show floor of 20,000 square metres, including the latest innovative products, market trends, and regulatory requirements. In addition, a treasure trove of diverse and targeted onsite activities will also be available for participants to conduct business and make new connections: they can choose to attend a welcome reception and a variety of segmented industry cocktail events, including the Table Games Networking Cocktail, Slots Networking Cocktail, and Esports Networking Cocktail.

“We look forward to welcoming a projected [estimate of] 6,000 visitors and more than 100 exhibiting companies across 20,000 square metres of exhibition space,” the organiser says. “Whether content, networking, or exhibition, G2E Asia continues to meet the moment as our industry resurges from the pandemic.”

Japan and Thailand

Apart from the exhibition and networking events, the conference programme is also a crowd-puller of any G2E-branded show, featuring sessions and forums led by high-level industry leaders, influencers, and experts. “G2E Asia has always reflected the industry that we serve by identifying the trends, leaders, and products that are driving the Asian gaming community forward,” Reed Exhibitions remarks. “Specific to the special edition in Singapore, our content line up will deliver the insights attendees need to inform today’s business.”

With an overall theme of “The Future Gaming Landscape in Asia”, the first day of the conference (30 May) will present an overview of Asian gaming markets, including the financial outlook of the sector and the latest updates on the emerging markets in the region, including Thailand, Japan, Vietnam, the Philippines, and India. The opening day will end with a panel that specifically talks about two markets that could become the potential growth engines of the region, Thailand and Japan, and their economic impacts to other Asian markets.

Following years of discussions and setbacks after the formulation of an integrated resort law that legalised casino gambling in 2018, the Japanese government finally approved in April this year the country’s first plan to construct an integrated resort in the western city of Osaka. The 1.08 trillion-yen (US$8.07-billion) complex, developed by a consortium comprising casino operator MGM Resorts International and Japanese group Orix Corp., aims to be inaugurated in 2029. Meanwhile, Thailand is just in talks about legalising land-based casinos without any concrete targets at the moment.

Compliance and regulations

The second day of the 2023 Singapore conference programme (May 31) will place an emphasis on the investment and developing opportunities across Asia, how operators can optimise customer experiences, and innovations in the region. There are also a number of sessions dedicated to the eSports industry. 

The final day of the programme (1 June) will concern the IAGA Best Practices Institute, which will examine compliance and regulatory challenges and issues in Asia, and key considerations for new and expanding markets. Panels about balancing operations with regulatory oversight, latest advancements in combating financial crimes, and how to create and implement effective responsible gaming measures will also be available.

Reed Exhibitions has yet to unveil the line-up of speakers for the three-day panels and sessions, nor the keynote speaker for the 2023 edition. The “G2E Asia 2022 Special Edition: Singapore” invited Ed Bowers, President of Global Development of MGM Resorts International, the parent firm of Macau gaming operator MGM China Holdings, as the keynote speaker, who detailed the ambition of the Osaka project at the time.

Regular fixture?

With G2E Asia cementing its presence in Singapore for two years in a row, one might wonder whether this so-called special edition will become a regular fixture in the annual Asian gaming event calendar. “We look forward to sharing details for next year’s G2E Asia as they become available,” Reed Exhibitions replies when asked about the topic.

Less than two months after the conclusion of the Singapore event, Reed Exhibitions and the American Gaming Association will host another show in the region, “Asian IR Expo + G2E Asia 2023” in Macau. The July show at the Venetian Macao marks the first G2E-branded event in the gambling enclave in four years — G2E Asia was held in Macau annually between 2007 and 2019 before the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, with the 2019 edition attracting more than 16,500 local and international visitors from 105 countries and regions.

“The G2E Asia Asian IR Expo in Macau is a unique opportunity to focus on integrated resorts, extending beyond gaming. This will be an invaluable platform to drive business diversification and get expert insights on Macau’s latest economic development,” Reed Exhibitions adds.

By Tony Lai