Macau considers reducing gaming tax

Ho Iat Seng considering measures to help operators survive the impact of the Coronavirus outbreak.

Macau.- The Government is considering a reduction in gaming tax in order to help gaming operators that are suffering record losses due to the Covid-19 pandemic.

The announcement came yesterday when the Chief Executive of the city, Ho Iat Seng, spoke in the Legislative Assembly.

He also dismissed a scenario where gaming concessions in the city would be extended telling local media “the concessionaires still have the means to endure.”

Earlier, he had said that Macau would ask Beijing to return and extend tourist visas, suspended due to the Covid-19 pandemic.

“With a view to recovering the local tourism sector, we will in due course request the central government to resume issuing tourist visas,” Ho said.

He also promised to ask Beijing to extend the issuance of individual visas to more cities in the interior of China.

The focus of tourist attraction will be centred on neighbouring regions, he admitted, but plans will also be launched in order to expand “the markets of origin of tourists”.

Last year, Macau welcomed almost 40 million visitors, the overwhelming majority coming from China.