Macau junket and casino investor Amax International will now be able to tap into the full potential of Vanuatu’s gambling market with the approval coming from the Vanuatu government.

Gaming regulators in Vanuatu has finally allowed Amax to start operating in the Pacific island nation, more than a year after it bought a 60 percent stake in Forenzia Enterprises Ltd. Forenzia Enterprises has obtained through its wholly-owned subsidiaries an interactive gaming license valid for a period of 15 years in the Republic of Vanuatu.

On Thursday, Amax chairman Ng Man Sun welcomed the development in Vanuatu, saying that it will serve as a respite from the regional revenue downturn of Asian gaming industry, particularly in Macau.

The group, according to Ng, believes that there is a high potential for Vanuatu, which is a popular destination for tourists from Australia, New Zealand, New Caledonia, Europe, North America and Japan, to be the next gaming hotspot in the pacific.