Publishing and Broadcasting Ltd’s next gaming play will be overseas, rather than in Australia, gaming chief Rowen Craigie has revealed.

Mr Craigie said he was spending more time looking at international markets and that the company’s next move would be overseas.

Speculation has been rife for the past 12 months that it is only a matter of time before the gaming and media giant makes a move on struggling casino and gaming company Tabcorp. A tilt would more than likely include Tattersall’s.

Last week, Tabcorp’s shares hit a low of $16.95 in the wake of a 21 per cent slide in interim profit, as increased domestic competition from players such as PBL and new property openings in Macau hit its international high-roller business.

But Mr Craigie told The Australian: “We’re not focusing on Tabcorp or the rest of the sector in Australia.”

The twin focuses, he said, were on “maintaining the growth story in Crown and Burswood and looking at the new and emerging international opportunities”.

“That’s where we are focused.”

PBL’s gaming operations, which account for more than half of group earnings since the sale of media assets into a private equity joint venture, include the Crown and Burswood casinos and the online gaming business Betfair in Tasmania.

Through a partnership with Hong Kong’s Melco International, PBL owns a licence in Macau, where there are three casinos planned over the next few years. Melco PBL recently listed on the New York Stock Exchange to help fund its Asia casino developments.

PBL also has a separate joint venture with British gaming heir Damian Aspinall. The venture this month missed out on developing Britain’s first and only mega-casino, at Manchester.

In three years, Mr Craigie said, he expected to “see an increased international presence with PBL gaming”.

PBL this month received $4.6 billion for the sale of half of its media assets. After paying a $1.9 billion debt relating to the acquisition of its sub-concession licence in Macau, it will be left with $2.7 billion to pursue acquisitions.

Mr Craigie said management was under no pressure to do something soon, adding it was going to be “patient” and “deliberate”.

“If there’s no value, we won’t do anything,” he said.

Established markets such as Las Vegas and emerging markets both appeal to PBL.

“We are happy to look at greenfield developments as well as established operations,” he said.

“We’re not focusing on a particular geographical part of the world. We’re happy to look anywhere.”

Earlier this month, Las Vegas casino mogul Steve Wynn said that he might pursue business partnerships with Mr Packer in Las Vegas and Asia.

Asked about Russia, Mr Craigie said Russia was looking “less likely” for the company since a law was passed to move casino development out of Moscow to four designated development zones.

Mr Craigie played down any concern about a new player, such as Richard Branson, entering the Macau market.

It is understood Sir Richard is negotiating a partnership with US gaming company Galaxy, which holds one of six licences in Macau.

“We’re not concerned about another property,” Mr Craigie said.

“That’s just part of that picture. It’s part of the Macau scene.”