Macau records two good first weeks in December

Macau casino industry has been growing throughout the first two weeks of the month.

Macau.- International Bernstein Bank has analysed Macau’s casino operations during the first weeks of the month, noting an optimistic level of increase in local revenue. The report, published at the beginning of the week, shows that gross gaming revenue in Macau reach MOP8.25 billion (US$1.0 billion), with ADR of MOP825 million.

Meanwhile, the MTD ADR number is 7 percent higher than November ADR, and 20 percent over a similar period in 2016. Furthermore, the “VIP hold rate during the month has been at normal levels, while GGR has been helped by strong volume and the two weekends falling in the period (December 1-10).”

As casino industry has proven to be recovered from the two-year financial crisis, Paulo Martis Chan, director of the Gaming Inspection and Coordination Bureau (DICJ) revealed on the sidelines of a conference in Macau that the regulation of gaming promoters will be soon tightened.

The new measure will come after multiple calls for better regulations, the last one made by the president of the Association of Gaming & Entertainment Promoters of Macau, Kwok Chi Chung, who demanded a higher minimum deposit to obtain the junker promoter status. Chan revealed that the regulations will enter the legislation process in 2018. The government is considering increasing capital deposit for licensed casino junkets.