There has been little inclusion of Asian gamblers, regions, and Asian specific games since the global gambling market was first established. Yet their appeal has continually intensified as the industry has developed, and Playtech – online casino software Development Company – has taken the initiative, announcing a new Asian based sector.
Forming a partnership agreement with an unknown Asian-facing online gambling license, Playtech has proclaimed that it will be supplying it with online software for Asian casinos, per to peer games, and of course, poker. Mor Weizer, CEO of Playtech, explained to the London Stock Exchange that the new licensee will have a "strong and diversified presence in the Asia-Pacific region" and that it will be "significant material to the future of the company". These words alone sent the company stock up by 4% to 376 pence, which amounts to a 13% increase over the last 2 months, placing the company at the GBP 800 million mark.
The countries in Asia in which online gambling, or forms of it, is allowed, include Malaysia, Macau, the Philippines, Cambodia, Korea, Vietnam, Laos, Singapore and Japan, whilst the Chinese Government is expected to slowly adopt such channels of gambling. One of the games confirmed as part of the new portfolio currently being developed is the widely famous 13 Card Poker.
The new games are expected to be released by mid 2008, by which point Playtech is confident that the deal will be worth approximately $4-5 million in revenues. Weizer commented that "the additional tools and features that we have developed for this operator will further strengthen Playtech's market leading position in the vast Asia-Pacific market. This Licensee has deep-rooted experience and market reach and we foresee additional benefits for Playtech…”
This move by Playtech is being considered as the first real step towards an online gambling Asian market.