Asian Players Leaning Towards EGTs Instead Of Live Tables Due To COVID

Some of the most prominent suppliers of casino equipment in the Asian market are reporting a new trend among casino players from all over Asia. They say that players are no longer happy playing live-dealer tables in conventional casinos and are turning towards electronic table games (EGTs), forced by the perils posed by the COVID-19 pandemic.

The factors that led to this rather sudden development is that it is comparatively effortless to sanitize the surfaces of ETG equipment and also maintain the norms of social distancing by turning off power to alternate terminals.

When it comes to crowded live-dealer tables in traditional casinos, it is not easy for players to obey these norms.

According to Michael Hu, the president for Interblock APAC, this turning away from conventional table games with their inevitable crowds is to be expected. This is because of many factors such as the social distancing rules enforced by governments in every indoor setting, the fear of punters of catching the virus, and an enhanced sense of hygiene that resents the touching of physical chips and handling cash.

IGT

Andrew Lim, sales manager for Asia at Weike had opined that this shifting trend is apparent in countries like Macau, Vietnam, and Singapore as also in other regions in Asia. He even feels that this trend will likely continue even after the epidemic subsides because players are getting accustomed to the ETGs while casino operators are attracted by the benefits derived from them, although the cost of setting them up can be high at first.

Adapting to Existing Technologies

Mr.Hu said that it was a lot easier to set up EGTs in a stadium setting as a gap of 1 or 1.5 meters is established between player stations. Combining LTGs with ETG stadiums is one way to make creative use of prevailing technologies for new gaming. He envisages connecting an ETG console to a table manned by a live dealer. This combination makes possible a live-dealer interface sans bodily contact with gaming chips, playing cards, or cash.

By relying on this innovative setup, table games like roulette, sic bo and blackjack that belong to live-dealer tables can be played by any set of punters moving to ETGs. A potentially viable compromise with existing technologies that a number of Asian facing operators are keen to embrace under the current circumstances!