Ourgame International Holdings Ltd is a Chinese company that is headquartered in Beijing and listed on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange (HKSE). The company acquired the world famous World Poker Tour (WPT) brand in 2015 and has put together a number of innovative strategies to expand the WPT brand across the world.

Ourgame International filed a report with the HKSE confirming a share subscription which will raise approximately HKD416.5 million which is the equivalent to $53.4 million. The company plans to use these funds to establish the WPT brand in Japan, construct new eSports arenas in the United States and China, develop its board games technology in China, makeover its mobile product portfolio and replenish its capital reserves.

Japan – A New Market For The WPT

The WPT is one of the most recognizable brands in the global poker industry but there are a number of countries where the WPT has not established itself. Ourgame International has made it priority to take the WPT into new geographical territories and Japan is one of those key markets.

The WPT has never been to Japan because there are no licensed casinos in Japan and gambling was banned until late 2016, when Japan approved a new gambling bill. Progress has been slow as Japanese legislators are yet to put together a second bill that is expected to outline potential casino sites, number of casino licenses to be issued and gaming taxes that will be imposed. The new bill is also expected to outline gaming regulations that will govern the Japanese casino industry.

Gaming experts have suggested that Japan could turn into the second largest gaming market in Asia and generate more than $20 billion in revenue. Casino operators have already pledged to invest billions into developing an integrated resort in Japan, should they be awarded a casino license.  The WPT is also looking to establish its presence in Japan at an early stage by hosting its first ever WPT Japan.

The WPT has entered into a partnership with Japan Poker Union Corp and has confirmed that it will roll out its first WPT Japan edition in Tokyo. The tournament will take place from Nov 23 to 26 and the four day event will feature a number of exciting prizes and packages including buy-ins to a number of popular WPT events across the world.

Construction ofeSports Arenas

Ourgame International expects the eSports industry to grow rapidly in the United States and is looking to construct numerous eSports arenas across the country. The company is currently developing an eSports arena via its subsidiary at MGM’s Luxor Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas and is expected to complete the project in 2018.

Ourgame International has announced that it will invest HKD125 million from the funds raised to build an additional 4 to 6 eSports Arenas in America and also between 2 to 4 eSports arenas in Mainland China. The company currently has two mobile eSports Arenas operating in Europe and plans to introduce the same in America as well.

Tags: esports, eSports Arenas, Japan, Ourgame International, World Poker Tour, WPT, WPT Japan

This entry was posted on Sunday, October 15th, 2017 at 11:28 pm and is filed under Poker Industry News. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. Responses are currently closed, but you can trackback from your own site.

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