Ant\u00f3nio Lobo Vilela, an expert on gaming law, has suggested that Macau will extend its six existing gaming concessions as it is running out of time to complete a public tender for June 2022.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n
Macau.-\u00a0Gaming advisor Antonio Lobo Vilela<\/strong> believes Macau will extend its six current gaming concessions<\/strong> beyond 2022.<\/p>\n\n\n\n In an article for Gaming Law magazine, Lobo Vilela said\u00a0authorities were running out of time\u00a0<\/strong>to complete a public tender for June 2022.<\/p>\n\n\n\n He said the Macau Government “cannot control the timing of the approval of amendments <\/strong>to Macau Gaming Law, neither can it influence the timetable of discussions held in the newly elected Legislative Assembly.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n See also:<\/strong> Macau: gaming staff activist withdraws from legislative election<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n He added: “Not having the legal and administrative basis for a tender established in advance constitutes a serious error<\/strong> when the futures of companies operating in Macau\u2019s dominant industry and employing thousands of people are at stake.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n According to the current city\u2019s gaming laws, licences can be extended for up to five years<\/strong> from the original 20-year term.<\/p>\n\n\n\n In May, Ambrose So Shu Fai, CEO of SJM<\/a>, also said that the current gaming concessions should be extended. He said the move would give Macau\u2019s gaming operators time to recover from the Covid-19 pandemic and the city time to better decide what changes to make to licence criteria<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n In April, together with Pedro Cortes<\/strong>, managing partner at law firm Rato, Ling, Lei & Cortes, Lobo Viela released a research paper<\/a> that said the city\u2019s gaming licence criteria should require \u201ccommitments relating to several non-core activities.<\/strong>\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n The paper noted that Macau is \u201cexcessively dependent on tourism and gaming,\u201d<\/strong> something that came starkly into view during Covid-19 countermeasures.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Analysts also suggest there should be a requirement for investment in the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macau Greater Bay Area (GBA) <\/strong>to create an international world-class tourism destination that recognises the uniqueness of Macau\u2019s cultural and social resources.<\/p>\n\n\n\nPotential changes for licence criteria<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n