Macau: a Gamblers Paradise, China's Las Vegas

26 May 2005

Managing risk in Macau; Hill & Associates places a bet on Asia's gaming capital

Hill & Associates (H&A), the Hong Kong based risk management and business intelligence firm, today announced plans to open a new branch office in Macau to meet the needs of Asia's burgeoning gaming industry. H&A, has existing relationships with many of the world's largest gaming operators and, with the rapid expansion of the industry, is positioning the company to better service these clients and also to support new entrants into this booming sector.

Kim Frisinger, the company's recently appointed head of Business Intelligence & Integrity Risk, commented on the expansion saying "Gaming is a significant growth market for us both in Macau and elsewhere in Asia.We're setting up in Macau because we need to be close to our clients to make sure they're getting the support they need."

US casino operators doing business in Macau and other overseas jurisdictions are under particular pressure to adhere to compliance regimes such as the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act, Patriot Act and Sarbanes-Oxley. They are also required to ensure the same standards of security and integrity are applied as are enforced in the United States by bodies such as the Las Vegas Gaming Commission.

"There are very serious integrity and transparency issues that our clients are worried about.We're there to help them avoid damage to their reputations and to ensure they have all the information they need to make clear and sound business decisions" says John Bruce, H&A's newly appointed Macau General Manager. "The risks that operators face in Asia are similar to those in the United States and elsewhere but local knowledge and experience are vital if new ventures are to succeed. Providing this knowledge and experience is H&A's forte and has been invaluable to a number of potential inward investors. There are significant opportunities in the Asian gaming market and those operators who understand both the opportunities and the risks are those who will profit."

With the opening up of the Macau gaming market, H&A has provided business intelligence and security advice to many of the largest gaming operators in the city and the gaming industry worldwide. Recent assignments outside Macau have included providing anti-money laundering consultancy to a Cambodian venture and advising a major player on the viability of an entry into the Russian gaming market. H&A has provided services to major gaming operators from the United States, Australia, Cambodia, Malaysia, the United Kingdom, Russia and Macau in the last twelve months and the company is anticipating further growth in this area as investors attempt to gain a foothold in the market.

About Hill & Associates

With 17 offices around the world, Hill & Associates is Asia's leading risk management and business intelligence firm. By combining local knowledge and expertise with world-renowned professionalism, leading edge technology partnerships and a comprehensive range of integrated services, we are able to bring meaningful, value-added solutions to our clients that enable them to operate safely, efficiently and without disruption in some of the worlds most difficult markets.We address a wide range of business risks, including regulatory and compliance issues that potentially threaten our clients' ability to operate and develop comprehensive solutions for both prevention and response.To learn more visit us at www.hill-assoc.com.

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