The day has been a long time coming for Isle of Man based AMZ Holdings Plc but this Saturday 26 September Penghu voters will decide whether plans for casino resorts on Taiwan’s offshore islands can finally go ahead. A mandatory public hearing has taken place on 16 September and a recording of the meeting is being aired daily until 25 September. AMZ was incorporated on the Isle of Man in January 2001 and in 2007 completed the lengthy process of purchasing 27 acres in the Penghu Islands where it intends to build an international casino resort if gaming legislation in Taiwan is finalised.

Central government passed the enabling legislation for gaming - subject to a positive outcome from local residents in the referendum – in January and is now preparing a package of accompanying measures. On 10 August Taiwan’s Tourism Bureau (a sub-division of the Ministry of Transportations and Communications) issued a tender inviting international gaming consultancies to bid for the master-planning of Integrated Casino Resorts on Taiwan’s remote islands.

An analyst’s report published in January, after the law was passed permitting casino gaming in Taiwan, stated that AMZ held the key to unlocking Taiwan’s casino market as not only does the law effectively limit gaming to Penghu for at least five years but also the company is several years ahead of other companies with its largest private plot of land on Penghu.

If a majority of the voters on Saturday vote for approving casinos, then the referendum will be binding. Only Penghu's registered residents, including those who work or study elsewhere, can vote. A poll carried out in May showed around 60% of people surveyed were in favour of casinos but an anti-gambling drive has been launched to persuade voters to cast their ballots against the casino resorts. AMZ Holdings will be hoping their message will not be heeded.
(E-09.23.09)

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