RTG's Asian Venture

I-gaming software developer RealTime Gaming has partnered with two Asia-based companies to form a new business division that will develop Asian market opportunities and service Asian market licensees. Establishing its headquarters in Singapore, RTG Asia will seek to leverage RealTime Gaming's knowledge of online gambling with its Asian partners' experience in the region to customize software packages specifically targeting what has been a very much coveted region of the world.

The new unit will be headed by CEO and Chairman Daniel Schultz, who until recently served as VP director of business development for the parent company.

"The truth is, to become a serious player in the Asian marketplace you have to immerse yourself entirely," Schultz said. "We have been able to assemble a great team of talent that has a proven financial record in the region and shares our development and client-support growth philosophies."

One of RealTime Gaming's partners is Singapore-based private equity group Vickers Financial Group, which holds a 25 percent stake in the joint venture.

Vickers' chairman, Dr. Finian Tan, said, "The principals in Vickers have in the past had very good experiences in investing in the gaming industry. As a result, we like the space--especially given the consumer boom across Asia in the offline sector as witnessed by Macau's successes and Singapore's moves to enter the industry. All indications point to the online sector following suit. Yet there is no clear leader at the moment in Asia, and RTG looks set to be the first mover."

RealTime Gaming has not revealed the name of its other partner in the venture, stating only that the company is a "prominent, publicly traded, technology leader in the region."

With each of the joint venture partners bringing their own unique expertise to the table, RTG Asia hopes to produce products and services that balance RealTime Gaming's knowledge of the Western world's gambling market with its partners' knowledge of the Eastern world.

"From the games to payment methods to financial systems, gaming in Asia is literally like speaking a whole new language," Schultz explained. "We have enlisted native speakers in every sense of the word to ensure we do it right."

He added, "The bottom line is, we have the right approach, the right team, and we're first to market with the high caliber Asian corporate alliances that we have in place. That's a tough combination to beat."

RTG Asia will provide a suite of online games that will incorporate elements of RealTime Gaming's core gaming platform as well as games developed specifically for the Asian market. The games suite will feature the standard line of random-number-generated casino games as well as LiveDealer games and an Asia-specific sportsbook platform.

Founded in 1998, Atlanta-based RealTime Gaming is now one of the online gambling industry's most prominent online gambling solutions providers. The company's clients include Bodog Casino, Club Player Casino, Crown Vegas Casino, Crystal Palace Casino, Geisha Lounge, Grand Aces, Hampton Casino, King Solomon's, Virtual Casino and others.