South Africa gaming operator Sun International is setting its sights on an Asian expansion as soon as it completes its business in Latin America, specifically the merger of the company’s casino operations in the region with local casino operator Dreams.
As soon as that deal is settled, Sun International will turn its attention to the East with the hopes of gaining a foothold of the growing casino market in Asia. Sun CEO Graeme Stephens told South Africa’s BusinessDay Live that the merged entity in South America would create a platform for the company to embark on its plan to enter the Asian gaming market, although Stephens doesn’t expect an easy ride.
“We are up against the gaming giants, so we might look at a casino operation as part of a large mixed-use development or take a small piece of a larger casino entity,” he said, as quoted by the South African Daily.
If Sun International is serious about venturing into Asia, the Northern Marianas could be a suitable destination. Speaking of the Pacific island, the Commonwealth of Northern Marianas Lottery has given the green light to Imperial Pacific International Holdings’ plan to create a live training center concept in Saipan that will be used to train casino workers as it waits for its integrated resort and casino to be constructed.
Imperial Pacific’s local subsidiary Best Sunshine plans to spend $25 million to construct the facility and fill it up with equipment. Future casino employees will receive six months of training on all the casino games Imperial Pacific plans to put inside its casino.
Imperial Pacific is planning a $7 billion resort and casino project on Saipan, the first large-scale integrated resort on the largest island in the U.S. Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands.
