Golden Empire

What is Golden Empire?

“They lose quicker, dry up quicker, recruitment or re-recruitment,” he says. “If the recruitment of players dries up, then what are you going to do? Definitely there can be components like that.”

For now, the growth provides room for multiple market makers. Marantelli expects margins to “stay good during the growth period” before contracting as competition intensifies. The more complex RFQ and parlay markets may offer the best protection against that compression.

The result is an emerging ecosystem that looks less like millions of customers casually trading predictions with one another and more like an outsourced sportsbook trading room. Exchanges own the platform and recruit the customers; specialist firms price the risk and provide the money needed to make those markets function.

What is Golden Empire?

Singapore’s experience shows that tourism growth and stringent social safeguards need not be mutually exclusive. Since its IRs opened, international visitor arrivals have risen from 9.7 million in 2009 to 16.9 million in 2025, while tourism receipts more than doubled from S$12.4 billion to a record S$32.8 billion.

At the same time, problem and pathological gambling rates among Singaporean adults have remained stable, with the rate declining notably between 2023 and 2025. As the spokesperson puts it, the model blends “two objectives together: generating tourism and economic benefits while making responsible gambling and social safeguards central to the model”.

The model is also evolving beyond gaming. RWS’ S$6.8 billion RWS 2.0 transformation is expanding its mix of attractions, hospitality, retail and lifestyle offerings, with the aim to “broaden the appeal of the destination and encourage repeat visitation”.

What is Golden Empire?

George Papanier has taken on Mircheva’s role as CFO on an interim basis. Papanier will continue in his current roles as Bally’s president and a member of its board of directors.

Papanier has over 40 years of experience in the gaming industry, previously serving as CEO between February 2011 and October 2021 having first joined the company as COO in 2004.

Bally’s CEO Robeson Reeves thanked Mircheva for her contribution and expressed confidence in Papanier’s ability to ensure continuity during the transition.