HONG KONG--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Iao Kun Group Holding Company Limited (“IKGH”) (NASDAQ:IKGH), which operates through its subsidiaries and related promotion entities that act as VIP room gaming promoters and a collaborator, today announced that it has entered into a non-binding memorandum of understanding whereby it will acquire all of the profit interests of Mr. Lou Kan Kuong (the “Seller”) for acting as a junket operator for the Crown Perth Casino in Perth, Australia and for the Crown Melbourne Casino in Melbourne, Australia. The Seller, who is currently an officer of IKGH, recently entered into agreements to act as a junket operator for the Casinos on behalf of IKGH. IKGH expects to close the transaction by mid-May 2015 and to begin generating initial revenues under this agreement shortly thereafter.
IKGH is purchasing the interests for nominal value.
“We are excited to take this first step toward expanding our operations and presence internationally and beginning to diversify our sources of revenue,” said IKGH Chairman Lam. “We are pleased to have the opportunity to establish ourselves in Australia and work with both the Crown Perth Casino and Crown Melbourne Casino to bring our VIP clients to their first-class facilities. Further, we remain committed to finding additional opportunities to expand our presence overseas and ultimately generating long-term value for our shareholders.”
About Iao Kun Group Holding Company Limited
IKGH is a holding company which operates through its subsidiaries and related promotion entities that act as VIP room gaming promoters and a collaborator, and is entitled to receive all of the profits of the VIP gaming promoters and collaborator from VIP gaming rooms. IKGH’s VIP room gaming promoters and collaborator currently participate in the promotion of five major luxury VIP gaming facilities in Macau, China, the largest gaming market in the world. One VIP gaming room is located at the top-tier 5-star hotel, the StarWorld Hotel & Casino in downtown Macau, and another is located in the luxury 5-star hotel, the Galaxy Macau™ Resort in Cotai, each of which is operated by Galaxy Casino, S.A. Additional VIP gaming rooms are located at the Sands Cotai Central and City of Dreams Macau, both in Cotai, and Le Royal Arc Casino, located in NAPE, Downtown Macau.
Forward-Looking Statements
This press release includes forward-looking statements made pursuant to the safe harbor provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 that involve risks and uncertainties. Forward-looking statements are statements that are not historical facts. Such forward-looking statements, based upon the current beliefs and expectations of IKGH’s management, are subject to risks and uncertainties, which could cause actual results to differ from the forward-looking statements. The gaming industry is characterized by an element of chance. Theoretical win rates for IKGH’s promotion entities’ VIP gaming room operations depend on a variety of factors, some beyond their control. In addition to the element of chance, theoretical win rates are also affected by other factors, including gaming patrons’ skill and experience, the mix of games played, the financial resources of gaming patrons, the spread of table limits, the volume of bets placed by IKGH’s promotion entities’ gaming patrons and the amount of time gaming patrons spend on gambling — thus VIP gaming rooms’ actual win rates may differ greatly over short time periods, such as from quarter to quarter, and could cause their quarterly results to be volatile. These factors, alone or in combination, have the potential to negatively impact the VIP gaming rooms' win rates. Investors and potential investors should consult all of the information set forth herein and should also refer to the risk factors set forth in IKGH’s Annual Report on Form 20-F filed in April 2015, and other reports filed or to be filed from time-to-time with the Securities and Exchange Commission.