US internet gaming group Omicron Technologies Inc is to tap into one of the world’s most avid gambling markets with a new web site for Chinese and other Asian gamblers. Luckycasino.com, which is scheduled for a July launch, will feature more than 20 games including the perennial casino favorites roulette, baccarat, craps and blackjack. Market forecasts are difficult to put together says Sak Narwal, Omicron’s chief financial officer. So much of the gaming in Asia is underground. It is hard to get reliable statistics. However he estimated the online gambling industry in Asia could be worth $10bn annually within five years.
The site will be available in seven Asian languages, and have mirror sites in every market to help ease download speeds, Narwal said. Gamblers will have to download special software or request a CD ROM to use the online casino. They will have to register at the site, enter their credit card number, and fill out a special verification screen. Users will be able to use credit cards to buy virtual chips and winnings will be credited to the card account.
