RTG expansion into the Far East currently under way

Industry observers talking to Realtime Gaming staffers at recent events have been wondering at the sudden rise in business travel to Singapore, and this week the answer became clear - the turnkey provider from Atlanta in the USA is expanding into the Far East after launching RTG Asia.

The new software development company will be based and staffed in Singapore, and highlights RTG's focus on the growing Asian market.

Daniel Schultz, chief executive and chair of RTG Asia, says: "The truth is, to become a serious player in the Asian market you have to immerse yourself entirely." The company has done that by forming RTG Asia - a joint venture between two Asia-based companies: the Vickers Financial Group, with a 25 percent stake, and a publicly traded regional technology firm that has not yet been identified.

Dr Finian Tan, chairman of Vickers Financial Group, said: "The principals in Vickers have in the past had good experiences in investing in the gaming industry. As a result, we like the space - especially given the consumer boom across Asia in the offline sector as witnessed by Macau's successes and Singapore's moves to enter the industry.

"All indications point to the online sector following suit. Yet there is no clear leader at the moment in Asia, and RTG looks set to be the prime mover."