Macao

The gaming floor at MGM Cotai casino in Macao: The gaming hub has been battered by COVID curbs that have sharply reduced visitor numbers.
Travel & Leisure

Malaysia's Genting makes surprise bid for Macao gaming rights

Gambling hub kicks off licensing race with seven companies vying for six spots

16 September 2022
Inflation is forcing many households in Pakistan to cut back on meals. 
Your Week in Asia

IMF decision on Pakistan, China PMI, Macao junket king's trial

Your weekly lineup of Asia's biggest business and political events

28 August 2022
Macao was locked down for nearly two weeks in July as health officials in the gaming hub battled its worst COVID-19 outbreak of the pandemic.
Travel & Leisure

Macao casino operators post losses topping $2bn as COVID bites

Dim hopes for rebound before 2023 as gaming hub hit by virus restrictions

19 August 2022
Macao has recorded around 1,500 COVID-19 infections since mid-June. Around 19,000 people are currently in mandatory quarantine.
Coronavirus

Macao gaming shares tumble as COVID outbreak shuts casinos

Over 30 venues will stay closed for a week; residents ordered to stay home

11 July 2022
Macao's landmark Grand Lisboa hotel was put under lockdown after COVID-19 cases were found there on July 6.
Travel & Leisure

Macao gambling revenue plummets as COVID leaves tables empty

Operators suffer mounting losses, casino hub battles worst virus outbreak

8 July 2022
The Grand Lisboa, started by late gaming tycoon Stanley Ho, is one of Macao's best known casino hotels. (File photo by Ken Kobayashi)
Coronavirus

Macao locks down landmark Lisboa hotel over COVID cases

Xi'an residents ordered home as China battles multiple virus outbreaks

6 July 2022
Alvin Chau once was among the top junket operators in Macao, taking care of travel and financial arrangements for high-roller punters, mostly from mainland China. (Source photos by Getty Images and Ken Kobayashi)
Travel & Leisure

Macao casino king Alvin Chau 'cheats' government of $1bn in taxes

Indictment says his Suncity Group ran vast criminal conspiracy for years

5 July 2022
Macao authorities instructed all the city's 681,700 residents to be screened for COVID-19 with nucleic acid testing.
Coronavirus

Macao approves new gaming law as COVID outbreak shuts city

First cases in 8 months bring gambling hub to near-halt

21 June 2022
Before COVID-19 struck, about 80% of Macao's visitors came from mainland China. (Initium Media via AP)
Travel & Leisure

Macao to offer tax breaks to casinos for non-China gamblers

Gross rate, already Asia's highest, to edge up to 40%

15 June 2022
Alvin Chau's Suncity Group has been forced to shut the VIP rooms it operated with all six of Macao's casino operators. (Source photos by Ken Kobayashi and Getty Images) 
Business Spotlight

Downfall of Macao's junket king rocks Asia-Pacific gambling world

Alvin Chau was seen as a pillar of the community but now sits in jail

8 April 2022
On a per-day basis, Macao casinos in February had their best month since May 2021. 
Travel & Leisure

Macao extends expiring casino concessions for 6 months

Hotel owners expected to step up lobbying against ban on hosting gambling halls

3 March 2022
MGM Resorts cited increased regulatory scrutiny and restrictions for its decision to suspend links with Macao junkets, which cut into its revenue. 
Travel & Leisure

Macao casino operators count cost of junket crackdown

Companies set aside millions for potential losses, see drop in VIP betting

3 March 2022
The Macao government is seizing the chance to reset terms of engagement with the casino industry as operators have less than five months left on their operating concessions.
Travel & Leisure

Macao faces no resistance as it tightens leash on casino industry

Operator profits would widen with tamed market, analysts say

1 February 2022
Macau Legend Development runs the Landmark Casino and two others. 
Travel & Leisure

Macao arrests 2nd casino junket boss

Tak Chun's Levo Chan resigns as co-chair and CEO of Macau Legend

31 January 2022
High rollers recruited by junket agents for many years generated a leading share of Macao casino revenues.
Travel & Leisure

Macao slashes junket license issuance by almost half

Slimmed roster comes as legislators debate proposals to further restrict sector

26 January 2022
Dancers perform at India's Republic Day parade in New Delhi last January. 
Your Week in Asia

Macao gaming bill, India Republic Day, South Korea's largest IPO

Your weekly lineup of Asia's biggest business and political events

23 January 2022
Macao officials signaled they want to eliminate "satellite casinos" housed in hotels owned by independent companies.  
Travel & Leisure

Macao stocks bounce higher on relief about new licensing plan

Analysts see few downsides for casino operators in draft gaming law

17 January 2022
Investors have been anxious for Macao to clarify whether it will change how many casino companies will be allowed to operate or alter key concession terms.
Economy

Macao to cut length of gaming concessions in half

City to keep casino operators at six, but reduce license term to 10 years

14 January 2022
All 85 of Macao's issued junket licenses are due to expire on Dec. 31. It is unclear whether the gaming regulator will renew any. 
Travel & Leisure

Macao casino operators prepare to evict junket rooms

More than 10,000 VIP sector workers to be affected

16 December 2021
The Venetian Macao hotel and casino in Macao. The city is looking to diversify its economy beyond gaming.
Technology

Macao rolls dice on tech boom with new IT trade show

Inaugural 'Beyond Expo' draws 300-plus companies to revitalize economy

3 December 2021
A Suncity-affiliated website lists 17 group VIP rooms within casinos attached to all six of Macao’s operators.
Travel & Leisure

Top Macao VIP room operator Suncity suspends operations

More than 2,000 workers affected as group seeks restructuring

1 December 2021
Suncity's listed units have denied soliciting Chinese gamblers to go to the group's Tigre de Cristal casino hotel near Vladivostok, Russia. 
Travel & Leisure

Suncity shares plunge after Macao arrests gaming group chairman

Company warns loss of founder Alvin Chau's support will have 'adverse affects'

30 November 2021
Authorities in Wenzhou said they have been investigating Suncity's Alvin Chau since July. 
Travel & Leisure

Macao police question gambling boss over Chinese arrest warrant

Suncity Group Chairman Alvin Chau accused of undermining 'social order'

27 November 2021
U.S. President Joe Biden and Chinese President Xi Jinping are expected to meet for the first time online on Tuesday morning, Asia time. This signals a bid by both countries to ease tensions, which have increased recently.
Your Week in Asia

Biden-Xi meet online, Malaysia's partial reopening and Macao gaming licenses

Your weekly lineup of Asia's biggest business and political events

14 November 2021
A croupier works at a gaming table at MGM Cotai Resort in Macau in February 2018: Japan is late to the party.
Opinion

China shows why Asia's casino bubble was always doomed

Other Japanese cities should follow Yokohama's decision to walk away

20 September 2021