Macau leadership change won’t affect gaming industry, analyst says

Seaport Research Partners does not expect any material changes to the gaming industry.

Macau.- Analyst Vitaly Umansky of Seaport Research Partners has said that a change in leadership in Macau is unlikely to have a significant impact on the city’s gaming sector. Umansky said the next chief executive (CE) is likely to have strong experience in the Macau government and understand the importance of the gaming and hospitality industry to the city’s economy.

Elections will be held on October 13, with the next CE to take office on December 19. While there is no clear candidate at this stage, the new chief executive is expected to come from within the government administration and is likely to maintain the current state of affairs and to focus on stability, economic diversification and deeper integration into the Greater Bay Area.

Macau’s current chief executive (CE), Ho Iat Seng, has announced that he will not seek re-election due to health reasons. He will be the first chief executive not to do so since elections were first held in 1999. Ho Iat Seng’s government has seen Macau’s six casino concessionaires renew their casino licences and has worked to increase non-gaming offerings.