A Dublin-based software company has succeeded in winning a deal that will see its internet-based gaming software installed in over 50pc of internet cafes across China.
The Irish internet gaming company, which also has offices in Singapore, made an investment in Mahjong Time, a provider of online mahjong software and an official partner of the World Series of Mahjong.
“All of CryptoLogic’s Asian investments are meeting or exceeding their targets – and ours. We knew the global mahjong market had huge potential and that potential is quickly turning into a reality,” said Brian Hadfield, CryptoLogic’s chief executive.
“As CryptoLogic’s Asian business continues to grow, our investments in different partners and platforms enable us to penetrate each market more effectively, for the benefit of our customers, our players and our shareholders.”
Under the agreement, Mahjong Time will be able to take advantage of a comprehensive marketing presence in more than 30 provinces and 251 cities through some 1,200 wholesale distributors.
“Thanks to CryptoLogic’s investment, we’ve been able to grow even more quickly, capitalising on the enduring popularity of a game enjoyed by more than 600 million people worldwide,” said William Sutjiadi, CEO of Mahjong Time.
“Our partnership with various Asian licensees demonstrates Mahjong Time’s commitment to work with companies who offer value and vision – and to deliver the best software solutions to our customers.”
Asia is quickly becoming the next major geographic area for online gaming. In fact, industry experts expect Asia to be the fastest-growing and ultimately the largest online-gaming market in the world.
China is now the largest internet market, with 253 million users, surpassing the US for the world’s No 1 spot.
Caption: Mahjong being played on a Street in China. Now a Dublin company has brought the popular game to more than 50pc of China’s web cafes
By John Kennedy
