NagaCorp’s 2017 profit jumps as VIP turnover more than doubles

Cambodian casino operator NagaCorp saw its net profits spike by two-fifths in 2017 as VIP gambling turnover more than doubled.

On Tuesday, Hong Kong-listed NagaCorp filed its official 2017 earnings report card, which should earn the operator a gold star from investors. Gross gaming revenue increased 85% to US$926m, earnings rose 25% to $319.7m and net profit improved 39% to $255.2m.

NagaCorp’s flagship NagaWorld property in Phnom Penh got a boost last November from the launch of Naga2 (pictured), which added an additional 1k hotel rooms and 300 gaming tables to the property’s existing elements, and allowed the venue to take advantage of Cambodia’s rising tourism levels.

Tourist visitation to Cambodia was up 12% to 5.6m visitors last year, while arrivals at Phnom Penh International Airport were up 21%. China (22%), Vietnam (15%) and Laos (9%) remain the top three sources of arrivals, and the China figure was up 46% from 2016.