(Yicai) May 26 -- NIP Group, the esports company founded by Mario Ho -- the youngest son of late Macau casino tycoon Stanley Ho -- is planning to open its first esports-themed hotel in Sichuan province's Chengdu. The company aims to expand to over 100 locations within the next three years, National Business Daily reported, citing Chairman Ho.

"In the domestic market, if you’re not growing rapidly, you’ll be eliminated. We do not want to be eliminated," Ho said to the daily newspaper during the Beyond Expo 2025 forum held recently in Macau.

To optimize its asset structure, NIP plans to operate 95 percent of its hotels through a franchise model, according to the co-founder of the global esports organization.

This move marks another step in NIP's evolution into a gaming-focused digital entertainment platform. Last July, the company became the first Chinese esports firm to list on the Nasdaq Stock Exchange, raising over USD20 million. At age 29, Ho became the youngest founder of a Nasdaq-listed company in Asia. NIP's subsidiaries include esports club brands eStar Gaming and Ninjas in Pyjamas, with operations spanning China, Europe, and South America.

The hotel initiative may be tied to a partnership NIP forged last year. In August, the company signed an agreement with Homeinns Hotel Group, a budget hotel chain, to establish a joint venture focused on developing and operating esports-themed hotels. NIP holds the controlling stake and will oversee investment, operations, and management. The agreement is valid until 2031.

The JV aims to combine NIP’s deep insights and design philosophy in esports with Homeinns’ property resources and operational expertise to bring immersive esports hotel experiences to the Chinese market. The firm said at the time that the first hotel was expected to launch in one of China’s top-tier cities in the coming months, signaling a new era of hospitality designed for esports enthusiasts.

“For NIP Group, it [the JV] represents an opportunity to extend our brand into the physical realm of hospitality,” Ho said last year.

NIP is also showing signs of improved financial performance. For the full year of 2024, the company’s total revenue reached USD85.3 million, up 2 percent from 2023. Its net loss narrowed by 5 percent to USD12.7 million, compared with USD13.3 million in 2023.

Editor: Emmi Laine