Several casino referendums failed
Despite recent failed referendums on casino gaming in the Kinmen islands of Taiwan, Calvin Shueh of Skill Gaming tells CalvinAyre.com the jurisdiction is still trying to promote itself as a gaming destination in the Asia-Pacific.
In the October referendum, 90 percent of islanders voted no on the casino plan. And in 2012, after a referendum passed in the Matsu island group, nothing happened. When no investment groups came courting, the idea stalled.
Shueh told CalvinAyre.com that Taiwan is now positioning itself as a global destination for poker and eSports.
“The current landscape primarily goes around poker. Poker’s very big here. I’ve helped launch the poker scene here. We see Taiwanese players doing well overseas, winning tournaments not just in Asia but also across the world,” Shueh said.
Shueh added that the Taiwanese have taken to both eSports and poker as national pastimes. “On eSports, the Taipei Assassins won the World Championships in 2012, the Taiwan government declared that eSports is an official sport. In 2020, the Asian Games will have eSports as a medal. So things here are changing and growing a lot,” he said.
He noted that a lot of tech-oriented companies have a footprint in Taiwan.
“A lot of companies launched here. Blizzard launched its first eStadium in Taiwan. Acer, Asus, all of these are businesses in Taiwan. Razer is launching a gaming smartphone that will be based in Taiwan. There’s a lot coming in the future.”
