The question of casino licensing in Taiwan has long been debated by successive governments. Plans to develop a gaming industry on the Penghu Islands in the Formosa Strait are widely supported by local people in order to boost their tourist industry, and in 2005 the islanders voted in favour of casinos. Since then a casino law has seemed imminent several times, only to be postponed for feasibility studies and the canvassing of public approval.

Last December a spokesman for the Executive Yuan said that the Taiwanese government had no plans to legalise the gambling industry in the near future, blaming a lack of social consensus. Later that month lawmakers failed to pass a bill that would have allowed casinos in Taiwan. One company has been pressing for casino licensing for a decade. Amazing Holdings commenced its battle for a casino resort on a 27-acre beach front plot in Penghu in 1998.

News from Taiwan indicates that Amazing Holdings may at last be nearer achieving its aims. Speaking in Penghu, President-elect Ma Ying-jeou, who takes office on 20 May, pledged his support to push forward legislation for the development of the offshore islands to legalise casinos. Ma thanked the islanders for their support and said he would honour his election promises to actively pursue the offshore development statute, which includes an article allowing the operation of casinos on islands such as Penghu.

As the new government will hold a large majority in the Legislative Yuan, it appears that at long last Penghu will get its casino. The Amazing Holdings US$50 million project is for a 1,000-room 5-star casino hotel and entertainment resort. Each year an estimated 10 million Taiwanese travel abroad to gamble and the Penghu development has been designed to attract the high roller Taiwanese and Chinese gamblers. (E-04.10.08)

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