Lai Palace Casino satellite casino to cease operations

SJM Resorts announced that Lai Palace Casino, a satellite casino it operates in Macau, will terminate operations from 23:59 on 12 November 2025, after coordination with Macau government departments and the casino service provider¹. The closure follows the earlier shutdowns of the Legend Palace and Emperor Palace casinos, both also under SJM¹.

The gaming tables and gaming machines originally installed at the venue will be reallocated to other casinos operated by the company to continue serving customers¹. Customers still holding unredeemed chips, deposits or accumulated cash rebates from Lai Palace Casino after it stops operating can go to other SJM-operated casinos from 13 November to handle follow-up arrangements, and the company said it will ensure all customer rights are properly protected¹.

On staffing, all local employees hired by SJM will remain employed and be deployed to the company's other casinos for gaming-related work according to operational needs¹. Local employees at Lai Palace Casino who were not hired by SJM will be invited to apply for relevant vacancies within the group and may be given priority hiring under the same conditions, with support provided as needed to smooth the transition¹. The Macau Gaming Inspection and Coordination Bureau (DICJ) said 296 employees are affected at Lai Palace Casino, and that it will keep in close contact with the Labour Affairs Bureau to ensure SJM strictly fulfills its commitments, properly resettles the employees under a plan submitted earlier, protects their pay, benefits and working conditions, and provides transfer opportunities to safeguard continued employment¹.

The DICJ said it will send officers to the site when the casino formally stops operating to monitor the entire shutdown process on the ground, ensuring SJM ends the satellite casino's operations in line with the plan it submitted to the government and properly handles cash and chips in the cage, as well as any unredeemed cash vouchers and chip exchanges¹.

What it means for players

Lai Palace Casino stops taking business at 23:59 on 12 November 2025, so anyone planning to play there after that time will find it closed. Players holding unredeemed chips, deposits or accumulated cash rebates from the venue can handle follow-up arrangements at other SJM-operated casinos from 13 November¹. The tables and machines from the venue are being moved to other SJM casinos rather than retired, so the games themselves remain available elsewhere in Macau¹. Macau's satellite casinos operate under the license of a concessionaire while carrying their own branding; the 2025 closures in Macau now include Legend Palace, Emperor Palace and Lai Palace¹. For background on how these venues fit into the wider market, see casinos and integrated resorts in Asia and closed casinos in Asia.

What happens next

The DICJ will monitor the shutdown on site and oversee the handling of cage cash, chips and any unredeemed vouchers¹. SJM will proceed with arrangements under legal requirements¹. Affected employees will be resettled under the plan SJM submitted to the government, with the DICJ and the Labour Affairs Bureau jointly overseeing that the commitments are met¹. No further closure dates beyond 12 November 2025 have been reported.