The Macau SAR government signed official 10-year gaming concession contracts with each of the six current operators at a ceremony at the Government Headquarters on Friday, December 16, 20221. The contracts take effect on January 1, 20231. Newcomer Genting Malaysia-linked bidder GMM Limited failed to secure a gaming concession1.
The six awardees are MGM Grand Paradise Limited, Galaxy Casino Company Limited, Venetian Macau Limited, Melco Resorts (Macau) Limited, Wynn Resorts (Macau) Limited and SJM Resorts, Limited1. The concessions had been provisionally granted to the same six operators on November 26 and are now awarded on a definite basis1.
The awardees promised to invest an aggregate MOP118.8 billion (US$14.8 billion), of which MOP108.7 billion is for exploring overseas customer markets and developing non-gaming projects and MOP10.1 billion is for gaming investments1. Authorities said the investment in non-gaming elements will be 10 times the amount invested in gaming activities1. Non-gaming initiatives will focus on 10 areas, including convention and exhibition business, entertainment and performances, sports events, culture and art, healthcare and themed amusement, among others1.
The government said the decision to award the concessions to the incumbent six was based on three main criteria: ensuring the stability of local employment, exploring overseas markets, and development of non-gaming offerings1.
"The aim is to enhance Macau's international image and its attractiveness to tourists, by hosting high-standard events and branded projects"
| Item | Amount |
|---|---|
| Total pledged investment | MOP118.8 billion (US$14.8 billion) |
| Overseas customer markets and non-gaming projects | MOP108.7 billion |
| Gaming investments | MOP10.1 billion |
What it means for players
The operator lineup in Macau is unchanged. The same six companies that held concessions before will run the city's casinos under the new 10-year terms from January 1, 2023, so the venues, brands and properties familiar to locals, expats and visitors remain in the same hands1. GMM Limited, the Genting Malaysia-linked bidder, will not operate a casino under a Macau concession1. The pledged spending is weighted heavily toward non-gaming projects, which points to more convention, exhibition, entertainment, performance, sports, culture, art, healthcare and themed amusement offerings alongside the gaming floors, though the sources do not detail what each operator will build1. For the licensing framework that governs which operators may take bets in Macau, see Gambling Regulators and Licenses in Asia: Who Licenses What and How to Check. For entry rules and which forms of gambling are open to residents versus visitors, see Can I Gamble in Macau? and Gambling in Asia for Expats and Visitors: Which Law Applies, Residents vs Visitors and Where Each Form of Gambling Is Open to You. For the Genting group's casinos elsewhere in Asia and who may enter each, see Genting: Its Casinos Across Asia and Who May Enter Each.
What happens next
A joint press conference was scheduled for Saturday, at which the newly awarded concessionaires and Macau authorities were to set out the details of each operator's investment plan for the next 10 years1. The new concessions take effect on January 1, 20231.
