Macau has not granted MGM license yet

MGM Cotai closes in on its opening date, but the government of Macau has yet to grant a license.

Macau.- Although MGM Resort has been regularly revealing new details of its upcoming casino Cotai in Macau, local authorities have confirmed that the company does not yet have the operating license to legally open the venue.

Representatives of the Macau Government Tourism Office (MGTO) stated in an interview with the local newspaper GGRAsia: “The licence application for the opening of the five-star hotel MGM Cotai and establishments inside the property is still waiting for the favourable opinions from related technical departments.”

MGM has already invested US$3.46 billion in its Asian venue, where over 900 new slots machines will be operating. The casino opening was due on Monday but was instead delayed, with the company calling for a public opening to be held “within the month of February.” In an MGM filing to the Hong Kong stock exchange, the company says it is awaiting approval for licenses to open the casino and hotel complex.

MGM China delayed the opening due to Typhoon Hato that hit Macau during the last week of August and destroyed multiple parts of the city. Moreover, after the storm, the casino experienced a fire that left one of the workers in hospital. Following these two events, the facility was forced to close its doors for around a month.