Macau: industry to take three months to recover following Coronavirus

Once the deadly virus has been brought under control, industry experts predict the gaming sector to take three months or more to recover.

Macau.- According to the Macau Gaming Equipment Manufacturers’ Association (MGEMA), it will take at least three months for the industry to return to normal following the deadly Coronavirus outbreak.

“After the outbreak is under control and visa restrictions [to Macau] are removed, it will most likely take at least three months for the gaming industry to get back on track again,” the trade group said in a special e-newsletter.

In efforts to prevent the virus from spreading further, the Macau government announced last week that the city’s casinos would be closing for at least 15 days, starting from February 5.

According to various brokerages, Macau’s casino gross gaming revenue could fall by about 50 percent year-on-year in the first quarter.

Authorities in mainland China have also stopped issuing individual travel visas for visits to Macau by mainland residents. Tour groups from the mainland to Macau are also suspended. Authorities have said the measures are part of efforts to cut travel across China and to reduce the risk of Coronavirus spreading further.

There were 10 confirmed cases of coronavirus in Macau as of Sunday, including three involving locals. China’s National Health Commission said on Monday there were 40,171 confirmed cases within the country and that the national death toll stood at 908.