‘Repeat business’ from Chinese VVIPs a shot in the arm for Imperial Pacific’s Saipan casino

Rolling chip turnover in Imperial Pacific International Holdings’ Saipan casino has improved—albeit slightly—in July, thanks to Chinese high rollers who were looking for somewhere new to go.

In a filing with the Hong Kong Stock Exchange, the casino operator announced that rolling chip turnover at its casino in the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands has reached US$1.74 billion (HK$12.52 billion) in July, a small jump from June’s US$1.65 billion. The turnover figure is the second lowest for the company since December 2015’s $1.44 billion.

The firm operates a temporary casino on the Pacific Island via its subsidiary, Best Sunshine International. CEO Mark Brown credited the island casino’s “boom time” to “repeat business” from high rollers who were tired of playing in Macau.

In an interview with Nikkei Asian Review, Brown said: “We are dealing with the ‘VVIP’ guys that we personally know. They are coming and they are loving it.”