By Xavier Kong
Earlier, KiniBiz took an overview of the casino sector, looked at regional casinos and examined technology and the dark side of gaming, the illegal sector. In this issue, KiniBiz heads up to Genting to get away from the smog and to get a closer feel on the ground at what Genting’s Malaysian casino is all about.
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Not a single seat was empty on the bus up to the Genting Highlands cable car station
The bus was packed. A vehicle that could seat 44 passengers had every seat taken. This bus was bound for the highland redoubt of Malaysia’s gaming giant, Genting, and though it is a weekday, and not a holiday, it seems that the place still draws its visitors.
The ride up was uneventful; gentle snores could be heard as passengers took the chance to rest before arrival. For once, it was possible to look into the distance and watch the scenery, rather than a smokescreen (it was hazy in Kuala Lumpur).
Upon arrival at the cable car station, the air was noticeably cooler, and the station was quiet. This was true all the way to the cable car itself, with the barriers empty, and the line short. The ride up itself was spectacular, however, with a sea of green outside the carriage, and the cool air rushing in. The silence during the ride up was deafening, but felt right.
The arrival hall at the highland redoubt was not exactly bustling, as was the lobby and the arcade KiniBiz passed through while taking a quick look around. This deceptive veneer of low activity led KiniBiz to believe that the casinos would be quiet as well, but this was not the case.
Enter the casino
The impressive crowd in one of the casinos
An explosion of sound and activity, along with the shouts of excitement and cries of anguish, greeted the ears upon walking in, and it was then that the vision was made, that every table was at least half-full, with banter between the croupiers and players from every table. The slot machines were running a roaring trade, as were the table games of roulette, texas hold ‘em, stud poker and pontoon. Engulfed by the atmosphere, KiniBiz took another step forward into this whole other world.
Genting’s casinos have a rather sneaky way of parting gamers with their cash, with psychology playing a big part of it. One particular example is how there are absolutely no clocks in the casinos, not to mention no view of the outside. There is absolutely nothing to indicate the passing of time at all. The lighting used was also warm, with comfortable chairs keeping players in their seats that much longer.
Staff on patrol in the casino
One other method is the use of money-chunking, where the machines only accept notes from RM10 and above. Sure, each bet is 5 sen, but that just compels you to burn through the cash faster. This was experienced by KiniBiz as well, who helped fund RM10 towards Genting’s coffers. An attempt was made to quit while (somewhat) ahead, but the slot machine did not dispense the money, leading to a call for assistance from one of the many staff members patrolling the area.
This allowed for a conversation, and the attendant told of how the casino is “always this busy”, and that while the second-hand smoke is unhealthy, “a job is a job, no choice but to go ahead”. The conversation was largely held in Mandarin, as the attendant filled out a form for the issuance of an instant card that would allow a cash-out. Complicated procedure, it was.
Technology’s role
The machines themselves encourage the player to continue with encouraging words and cheers. Slot machine manufacturers also aid in drawing in players, through the use of themes that are currently popular, like the Star Wars slot machines in Genting, or the Walking Dead slot machines by Aristocrat which made its debut recently in America.
Croupiers have an easier time now, considering the advent of technology. In the past, croupiers had to shuffle the cards by hand, which was then replaced by the technique to fill up a draw deck with multiple decks. Now, only one deck of 52 cards is necessary, as every table with a card game has a motorized card-shuffler.
Roulette tables get a tech boost as well. In the past, a game of roulette involved people crowding around a single table, with hardly any breathing room, let alone elbow space. But now, with individual stations and a live feed of the wheel projected on screens, players can sit down and enjoy a game of roulette without having to bump elbows. The system also does the math for the croupier, easing their jobs.
Technology further aids in pocketing the money of players via the introduction of an all-in-one card system. This system introduced an alternate form of tender in the highland redoubt, coined the GP for Genting Points, with the rate being one GP to RM1. However, the difference in rates is astounding. For example, while it would normally cost RM206 for a deluxe room at the First World Hotel, the room only costs 28 GP per night! And that includes two tickets to a show at the Arena of Stars as well! Of course, it goes without mentioning that the card also works with all the machines in the casinos, be they the slot machines, or the roulette stations.
Which crowd?
Though Genting professes that its highland redoubt is indeed a place for the whole family, most of its avenues are dedicated towards the gaming portion of its revenue, with entertainment that is seemingly targeted towards a particular audience. Going over the past performances held at Genting Highlands’ Arena of Stars, most of the performances seemed to centre around the interests and time line of the previous generation of Chinese, with such performances featuring Teresa Teng, Michael Learns To Rock, and Fei Yu Ching.
Further corroborating this was the large number of senior citizens there, with most of them Chinese nationals, easily identified by the lilt of their speech. When spoken to, only curt answers were provided, with some outright ignoring any interaction, either due to all of their focus being targeted at the game in front of them, or by the frustration of having lost a sum. Most responses were along the lines of “I am busy at the moment,” or “Not now!” followed by a dismissal by the player.
Another note is also the convenience of the facilities in the casino. Free refreshments are provided to players at strategic corners, and food, by means of a cafeteria and several eating places, are inside the casino itself, with examples being the New Orleans Barbecue and The Patio, which provide easy access to food for the times a player feels the need for sustenance.
However, cases of exorbitant pricing are blatant everywhere, with a plate of chicken rice costing up to RM15 at the cafeteria. This becomes even more obvious the closer one gets to the family entertainment and retail segment, which had a food court profess a price of about RM14 for hotplate noodles or again, chicken rice.
Fun for the whole family?
Arriving at the retail segment showed a distinct lack of a crowd, with the majority being families with toddlers, or couples out and about. With that being said, the rides at the indoor theme park were rather silent, considering the outdoor theme park was under renovation.
However, calling the indoor theme park at Genting a “theme park” might be a bit much, considering the point that there are only six rides. The indoor roller coaster is but a high speed train on a fairly level track, and the entire ride lasts less than a minute. A staff member, who declined to be named, has professed the opinion that only three rides are meant for adults, while the remainder is targeted more towards children.
Another point to note here is that the arcade also featured some games that were readily available for free, like Bejeweled, for example. The arcade also used a card system, called the EziCash card, that would work with all the games in the arcade, but required patrons to purchase the card.
Having spent the day on the go, and with the sun now sinking on the horizon, it was deemed a good time to go. The trip down in the cable car was again breath-taking, though heart-stopping might be a better adjective for some, due to the view of the sheer drop as the carriage left the station. Thus was an end brought to this trip in the highlands.
As the bus wound its way down the mountain and back towards the hustle and bustle of the city centre, it was clear to KiniBiz that, such as it is, Resorts World Genting heading toward an integrated entertainment resort still needs more time and work, as reasoned above. It is very likely that the renovation of the outdoor theme park to a 20th Century Fox World theme park would just be the first step towards that goal. That being said, it may have been the timing of a weekday that led to the experiences above, considering it was not a holiday or weekend.
But one thing for sure, on a weekday in Genting, when many are earning money to provide for themselves, there is no lack of customers in Genting Highlands – at the casino at least. That says bucket loads for the resilience of Malaysia’s lone casino, the one on the hill.
Yesterday: Illegal gaming and its effects on players
Tomorrow: What does it all mean for Genting?
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