Macau's government and the city's gaming concessionaires confirmed in June that all 11 satellite casinos, venues operated by third parties under the licenses of gaming operators, will either be shuttered by the end of 2025 or absorbed by concessionaires and converted into self-operated casinos1. The announcement followed notifications from SJM Resorts, Galaxy Entertainment Group and Melco Resorts & Entertainment, and set a 31 December deadline2.
At a press conference on the day of the announcement, Secretary for Economy and Finance Tai Kin Ip said 5,600 local employees were then on the payrolls of gaming operations owned by third-party investors but reliant on an official gaming concession. Some 4,800 were hired by Galaxy, Melco and SJM, with the remaining 800 brought on board by satellite operators themselves. An additional 400 were non-local employees2. Authorities said a training platform would be ready for use as soon as the third quarter of the year2.
The three concessionaires pledged to reallocate affected satellite casino employees to their own properties2. Melco announced the closure of its Grand Dragon Casino and three Mocha clubs, a move a government calculation said would impact 300 local workers2. SJM said it would restructure its nine satellite operations and was looking to acquire the properties of Casino L'Arc Macau and Casino Ponte 16, adding that negotiations had not yet commenced and no binding agreements had been reached2. Galaxy said it would shutter its Waldo Casino by the deadline2.
A government review put the number of casino tables and slot machines across the 11 satellite operations at 480 and 270 respectively2. Satellite casinos had consistently contributed only a "single-digit percentage" of the city's overall gross gaming revenue, Tai said2. Authorities introduced regulations in 2022 to reset the stage for satellite casinos, whose growth was driven by a profit-sharing mechanism with their casino partners; from 2026 they will only be allowed to charge a management fee2.
"The exit of satellite casinos does have some impact on the financial system, but it remains manageable."
By 19 November 2025, five satellite casinos remained in operation: Landmark Casino, Fortuna Casino, Casino Kam Pek Paradise, Ponte 16 Casino, and L'Arc Macau. Ponte 16 and L'Arc were set to be acquired by SJM Holdings1. Loans to companies managing satellite casinos accounted for less than 1 percent of total bank loans as of the end of September, the Chief Executive said1.
| Venue | Operator | Announced closure |
|---|---|---|
| Grand Dragon Casino and three Mocha clubs | Melco | By end of 20252 |
| Waldo Casino | Galaxy | By 31 December deadline2 |
| Casino L'Arc Macau | SJM | To be acquired, self-managed1 |
| Casino Ponte 16 | SJM | To be acquired1 |
What it means for players
The 11 satellite casinos are small venues operating under concessionaire licenses rather than inside concessionaire-owned properties. Players who used them for table games or slots will find those floors gone or rebranded as self-operated rooms under the same concessionaire. Gaming tables and slot machines from affected venues are to be reallocated to the parent operators' own casinos2. Satellite venues contributed only a low single-digit share of city gaming revenue, so the closures are not expected to reshape the wider market2. The change is structural: the venues themselves, not gambling in Macau, are what is ending. For background on which properties have shut, see Which Macau Casinos Closed in 2025 and Closed Casinos in Asia. For what remains open and how entry works, see Can I Gamble in Macau? and Casinos and Integrated Resorts in Asia.
What happens next
The deadline for closure or absorption is 31 December 20252. SJM's planned acquisitions of Casino L'Arc Macau and Casino Ponte 16 had not reached binding agreements as of the June announcement2. The government said it would monitor the financial system, with non-performing loans at MOP55.5 billion (US$6.92 billion), or 5.44 percent of total loans, as of September, and a capital adequacy ratio of 15.78 percent against a statutory minimum of 8 percent1.
