https://www.scmp.com/rss/330418/feed News and analysis about the gambling industry in general, and casinos in the Asia-Pacific region specifically. The topic's coverage includes corporate announcements, news and analysis about casinos in the Macau Special Administrative Region (Macau SAR), their offshore investments, expansion plans and business activities, as well as the performance of their stocks wherever they are listed. en https://assets.i-scmp.com/static/img/icons/scmp-meta-1200x630.png https://www.scmp.com Andrea Lo Andrea Lo Step into Jeffrey Lee’s 10,000 sq ft office-slash-warehouse-slash-personal museum in Kwai Chung, and the first problem is purely logistical: where do you look first? The place has the bones of a warehouse – grey carpet, metal racks, long corridors – but it’s lit like a slightly feverish ballroom. The light hits glass, plastic and brass; it catches on badges, buttons and the glossy eyes of plush toys. One room is dedicated to military uniforms – a showroom of garment-bagged jackets, mannequins... https://www.scmp.com/postmag/passions/article/3348127/jeffrey-lees-extraordinary-museum-plush-toys-and-military-memorabilia?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/postmag/passions/article/3348127/jeffrey-lees-extraordinary-museum-plush-toys-and-military-memorabilia?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 28 Mar 2026 10:00:17 +0000 Annemarie Evans Annemarie Evans I WAS BORN IN a small city in the north of Mozambique called Nampula in 1962. My parents were living in Mozambique. My father was a soldier and the capital was called Lourenco Marques (present-day Maputo). It was, of course, a colony of Portugal. We moved to Portugal when I was four. My father became a merchant and he travelled a lot, so I seldom saw him. I stayed with my grandparents in Porto and then lived with my mother again in Lisbon a few years later. By then, she was separated from my... https://www.scmp.com/postmag/passions/article/3341202/ricardo-pinto-covering-macau-through-decades-and-launching-literary-festival?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/postmag/passions/article/3341202/ricardo-pinto-covering-macau-through-decades-and-launching-literary-festival?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 26 Jan 2026 09:00:10 +0000 Cat Nelson Cat Nelson The first time I went to Macau was in 2017, and I spent an embarrassing amount of time lost inside The Venetian. Let me tell you, there’s something profoundly disorienting about a fake sky and canals indoors. I kept passing the same gondola, panic mounting. I suspect I’m not alone in this experience – or in the broader reality that many people never see much beyond Macau’s glitz and glam. It’s easy to visit for a weekend, stick to the resorts and come away thinking you’ve seen the city. But for... https://www.scmp.com/postmag/culture/article/3340967/week-postmag-many-layers-macau?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/postmag/culture/article/3340967/week-postmag-many-layers-macau?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 25 Jan 2026 04:45:08 +0000 Annemarie Evans Annemarie Evans Lawrence Osborne wrote The Ballad of a Small Player – his acclaimed 2014 novel, now adapted into a Netflix film starring Colin Farrell as a high-rolling fraud whose luck is running out – at a time when he was down and out. “We exalt winners and we despise losers, but, in fact, most of us are losers,” says Osborne. “For most of my life, I felt absolutely down at heel and unable to make money. This is the writer’s lot. “When you’re in that condition and you have no backup or safety net, it drives... https://www.scmp.com/postmag/culture/article/3333524/how-childhood-scandal-and-macaus-shadows-shaped-lawrence-osbornes-anti-hero?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/postmag/culture/article/3333524/how-childhood-scandal-and-macaus-shadows-shaped-lawrence-osbornes-anti-hero?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 26 Nov 2025 04:00:09 +0000 Themis Qi Themis Qi Integrated resorts operator SJM Holdings, one of the six licensed casino concessionaires in Macau, has abandoned a plan to acquire Ponte 16, which is among the firm’s nine satellite gambling venues directed to halt operations under the city’s revised gaming laws. “Following a comprehensive business review and after a thorough assessment of long-term business planning, commercial considerations and resource prioritisation across the group’s portfolio, SJM Resorts will not proceed with the... https://www.scmp.com/business/companies/article/3333584/sjm-cancels-ponte-16-acquisition-pursues-deal-larc-macau?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/companies/article/3333584/sjm-cancels-ponte-16-acquisition-pursues-deal-larc-macau?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 20 Nov 2025 12:23:56 +0000 Ashlyn Chak Ashlyn Chak A sweaty, velvet-suited Colin Farrell runs panicked through humid, neon-lit Macau, stalked by Tilda Swinton disguised as a tacky tourist and yelled at in Cantonese by locals – such is the intense, somewhat surreal energy of Ballad of a Small Player, a new film that begins streaming on Netflix this week. Set and filmed in Macau, the fast-paced psychological thriller drags us from posh casino floors to dodgy back alleys through the eyes of Lord Doyle (Farrell), an aristocrat drinking expensive... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/entertainment/article/3330464/how-netflixs-ballad-small-player-colin-farrell-was-inspired-macau-hong-kong?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/entertainment/article/3330464/how-netflixs-ballad-small-player-colin-farrell-was-inspired-macau-hong-kong?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 27 Oct 2025 23:15:07 +0000 Cheryl Arcibal Cheryl Arcibal Black Spade Capital, the family office of Lawrence Ho Yau-lung, has brought Hong Kong-based iRad Hospital to Macau, with a facility equipped with MRI and CT scan equipment in one of his hotels, to support the gaming hub’s bid to diversify its economy. The 15,000 sq ft facility at Studio City of Melco Resorts & Entertainment, one of six casino concessionaires in the gaming hub, makes it the world’s first integrated resort hospital with MRI and CT equipment. The hospital, which was formally... https://www.scmp.com/business/article/3328073/macaus-studio-city-gets-worlds-first-resort-hospital-mri-and-ct-facilities?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/article/3328073/macaus-studio-city-gets-worlds-first-resort-hospital-mri-and-ct-facilities?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 07 Oct 2025 02:52:13 +0000 Raissa Robles Raissa Robles The Philippines is weighing a total or partial ban on online gambling as analysts warn that the booming industry – once hailed for fuelling school-building and social programmes – is fast becoming a public health crisis that exploits the poor and vulnerable. Dozens of bills are now under committee review in Congress, with 10 proposing a total ban and 30 calling for restrictions on e-wallet top-ups, celebrity endorsements and advertising. The push gained fresh momentum on Sunday when the central... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/lifestyle-culture/article/3322710/philippines-debates-fate-online-gambling-ban-or-not-ban?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/lifestyle-culture/article/3322710/philippines-debates-fate-online-gambling-ban-or-not-ban?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 22 Aug 2025 06:30:10 +0000 Sam Beltran Sam Beltran In the dim glow of his bedroom, Clark* used to spend up to 18 hours a day gambling, his world distilled to the spinning reels and flashing lights of online betting apps. What began as casual wagers – just a few hundred pesos here, a thousand there – quickly escalated. One day, Clark placed a 7,000-peso (US$120) bet that, in a dizzying stroke of fortune, ballooned into 1.7 million pesos (US$30,000). With that huge win, he thought his luck had changed. Instead, it marked the beginning of a... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/lifestyle-culture/article/3320499/inside-philippines-online-gambling-epidemic-its-worse-pogos?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/lifestyle-culture/article/3320499/inside-philippines-online-gambling-epidemic-its-worse-pogos?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 04 Aug 2025 00:00:11 +0000 Associated Press Associated Press A gunman opened fire early on Monday outside the largest casino in Reno, Nevada, killing three people and wounding three others before being taken into custody, officials said. Two victims were in critical condition, while the other had been released from the hospital, Sparks Police Chief Chris Crawforth said during a news conference on Monday. The suspected shooter at the Grand Sierra Resort was among those taken to a hospital, said Dr Chad Kingsley, district health officer for the Northern... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/united-states-canada/article/3319908/shooter-opens-fire-nevada-casino-killing-2-and-injuring-several-others?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/united-states-canada/article/3319908/shooter-opens-fire-nevada-casino-killing-2-and-injuring-several-others?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 28 Jul 2025 20:39:56 +0000 Lo Hoi-ying Lo Hoi-ying Hong Kong actor and model Jacky Heung is being sued by a Macau casino operator for allegedly racking up at least HK$1.4 million (US$178,000) in gambling debts following a visit to the gaming hub last December. In a writ filed with the Hong Kong District Court, MGM Grand Paradise said Heung had borrowed HK$2 million on December 1, 2024, from the operator of the MGM Macau and MGM Cotai casino hotels and converted the money into betting chips. Under the terms of the loan, Heung was required to... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3318334/hong-kong-actor-jacky-heung-sued-macau-casino-over-hk14-million-debt?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3318334/hong-kong-actor-jacky-heung-sued-macau-casino-over-hk14-million-debt?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 15 Jul 2025 12:45:44 +0000 Peggy Sito Peggy Sito Macau’s tourism and casino revenues are poised to see sustained growth in the second half of the year, as high-profile events and concerts attract an increasing number of visitors. The city has a busy concert pipeline over the next two months. Hong Kong singers like Sandy Lam, Aaron Kwok and Eason Chan will hold multiple shows in the casino hub between now and September, while South Korean actor Park Bo-gum, who starred in the TV drama, When life gives you tangerines, will meet his fans in... https://www.scmp.com/business/companies/article/3318271/macau-set-blockbuster-summer-toy-story-events-star-studded-concerts?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/companies/article/3318271/macau-set-blockbuster-summer-toy-story-events-star-studded-concerts?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 15 Jul 2025 07:59:15 +0000 Agencies Agencies Thailand’s cabinet on Tuesday withdrew a draft law for casinos and entertainment complexes, citing the need for more time to engage with the public and create more understanding about the issue. The government earlier set its sights on building a major gaming industry that will complement tourism, a key economic driver for the country, with a draft bill to legalise gambling slated to be deliberated on by parliament on Wednesday. But the suspension of Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra from... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/3317410/thailand-delays-controversial-casino-legalisation-bill-amid-pm-suspension-political-instability?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/3317410/thailand-delays-controversial-casino-legalisation-bill-amid-pm-suspension-political-instability?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 08 Jul 2025 10:18:08 +0000 Salina Li Salina Li The 13 Hotel, touted as one of the world’s most expensive hotels, has been acquired for HK$600 million (US$76.43 million) by an unidentified investor in Macau, the city’s first such property transaction in eight years. The sale of the 22-storey lodging in Macau’s southernmost district of Coloane concluded a five-year search for a buyer, Savills Macau managing director Franco Liu said on Wednesday. The acquisition was Macau’s first hotel transaction since the fourth quarter of 2017, according to... https://www.scmp.com/business/article/3315826/macau-luxury-property-13-hotel-sells-hk600-million-local-buyer?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/article/3315826/macau-luxury-property-13-hotel-sells-hk600-million-local-buyer?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 25 Jun 2025 13:17:20 +0000 Resty Woro Yuniar Resty Woro Yuniar The potential legalisation of gambling in Indonesia has resurfaced as a means for higher state revenue, but opponents argue the activity risks fraying the cultural fabric of the world’s largest Muslim-majority nation. Lawmaker Galih Kartasasmita floated the idea during a meeting with the finance ministry on May 8, where he said Indonesia should follow the footsteps of the United Arab Emirates, which legalised gambling last year. “The UAE is ready to run a casino, [an] Arab country [finally] runs... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/economics/article/3314351/indonesia-ready-roll-dice-casinos-risk-social-costs?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/economics/article/3314351/indonesia-ready-roll-dice-casinos-risk-social-costs?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 15 Jun 2025 07:00:07 +0000 Peggy Sito Peggy Sito A shortage of hotel rooms is hindering Macau’s growth, and further policy breakthroughs to facilitate the development of nearby Hengqin Island – three times the size of Macau – are needed to solve the problem, according to the chairman of Galaxy Entertainment Group. “As Macau shifts towards a more mass-market and event-focused model, the question of hotel rooms must be addressed,” said Francis Lui Yiu-tung in a briefing with Hong Kong reporters on Monday. With visitor arrivals growing, demand... https://www.scmp.com/business/companies/article/3312768/macaus-galaxy-boss-hotel-shortage-must-be-addressed-hengqin-island-policy?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/companies/article/3312768/macaus-galaxy-boss-hotel-shortage-must-be-addressed-hengqin-island-policy?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 02 Jun 2025 11:30:08 +0000 Gavin Yeung Gavin Yeung Macau’s biggest indoor spectacle is making a splash yet again, as it returns to City of Dreams after a nearly five-year hiatus. House of Dancing Water, which debuted in 2010, made waves regionally and beyond for its ambitious scope and scale that required a boundary-pushing 2,000-seat theatre for what was the world’s largest permanent water-based show at the time. Directed by Franco Dragone, the show was forced to shut down in 2020 due to Covid-19. After Dragone’s death in 2022, his long-time... https://www.scmp.com/postmag/culture/article/3312380/macaus-house-dancing-water-returns-37-million-gallons-spectacle?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/postmag/culture/article/3312380/macaus-house-dancing-water-returns-37-million-gallons-spectacle?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 30 May 2025 05:00:09 +0000 Cheryl Arcibal Cheryl Arcibal Black Spade Capital, the family office of Macau casino billionaire Lawrence Ho Yau-lung, has invested in IFCX, a Hong Kong-based real estate brokerage group that aims to pool at least US$5 billion of capital from Asian clients for investments in emerging markets. IFCX operates Asian Bankers Club, a direct investor sales company, Knightsbridge Partners, an agent for developers, and Easy Pro, a letting and property-management agency that also provides global residency solutions. “This partnership... https://www.scmp.com/business/article/3311102/casino-tycoon-lawrence-hos-family-office-invests-hong-kong-real-estate-broker-ifcx?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/article/3311102/casino-tycoon-lawrence-hos-family-office-invests-hong-kong-real-estate-broker-ifcx?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 21 May 2025 00:30:07 +0000 Aidyn Fitzpatrick Aidyn Fitzpatrick Poly Culture Group Corporation partnered with casino operator MGM to open the 2,000-square-metre Poly MGM Museum last November, with a launch exhibition on the Maritime Silk Road featuring some 230 artefacts from 20 international museums and galleries. Until late last month, the display included four of the famed bronze zodiac heads from Beijing’s Old Summer Palace. It’s a culture-forward move by both parties, Poly Culture Group being the art and antiques unit of a vast Chinese state-run... https://www.scmp.com/special-reports/article/3309202/macaus-poly-mgm-museum-draws-huge-crowds-hi-tech-maritime-silk-road-exhibition?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/special-reports/article/3309202/macaus-poly-mgm-museum-draws-huge-crowds-hi-tech-maritime-silk-road-exhibition?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 13 May 2025 22:15:07 +0000 Raissa Robles Raissa Robles The midterm elections in the Philippines proceeded without major disruption in most areas on Monday, according to officials and observers, but the seizure of nearly half a billion pesos in undeclared cash from foreign nationals, along with isolated incidents of deadly violence and technical glitches, has raised concerns over the integrity of the vote. One of the most startling developments occurred late on Friday, when six Chinese nationals, three foreigners and two Filipinos were intercepted at... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3310051/philippine-midterm-elections-casino-linked-cash-seizure-and-poll-day-disruptions-raise-alarms?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3310051/philippine-midterm-elections-casino-linked-cash-seizure-and-poll-day-disruptions-raise-alarms?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 12 May 2025 13:20:42 +0000 Cheryl Arcibal Cheryl Arcibal Touted as one of the world’s most expensive hotels, The 13 Hotel and Casino in Macau has been put up for sale again by its creditors, as a tourism boom looks to lift overall business in the world’s largest gaming hub. Formerly owned by Hong Kong businessman Stephen Hung who appeared on the Netflix show Bling Empire, the 22-storey lodging located in Macau’s southernmost district of Coloane was estimated to be worth HK$2.4 billion (US$309 million) last year when it was first launched for... https://www.scmp.com/business/article/3307143/macaus-most-opulent-lodging-13-hotel-and-casino-sale-again?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/article/3307143/macaus-most-opulent-lodging-13-hotel-and-casino-sale-again?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 20 Apr 2025 01:30:24 +0000 Japan is considering new legislation to tackle the booming but illegal use of overseas online casinos, as high-profile scandals involving baseball stars and comedians expose what observers call a “shocking” lack of public awareness about the law. While gambling is technically illegal in Japan, the government does permit a limited amount of betting on strictly controlled events, such as horse racing, boat and bicycle races and the lottery, with the profits being returned directly to the... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/lifestyle-culture/article/3306839/gambling-epidemic-japan-weighs-new-law-tackle-illegal-betting-online-casinos?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/lifestyle-culture/article/3306839/gambling-epidemic-japan-weighs-new-law-tackle-illegal-betting-online-casinos?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 17 Apr 2025 03:00:13 +0000 Change is afoot in our sister SAR. Last December, outgoing chief executive Ho Iat-seng said Macau was “shifting away from a gaming dominated economy”, while neglecting to mention that his administration derived 80.5 per cent of its revenue from casino taxes. Earlier this month, Lawrence Ho, chairman and CEO of Melco, one of Macau’s six casino operators, suggested that the city was “no longer just a ‘gambling hub’”. But if Macau is no longer a place where baccarat is king and sic bo dice tumble... https://www.scmp.com/special-reports/article/3304201/casino-city-cultural-centre-how-macau-betting-art?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/special-reports/article/3304201/casino-city-cultural-centre-how-macau-betting-art?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 29 Mar 2025 04:45:08 +0000 Billionaire Steve Wynn’s stepson Nick Hissom has reportedly broken up with his long-time partner, Kameron Ramirez. Hissom, 32, announced the break-up through a series of Instagram Stories, calling his ex a “cheater, liar, backstabber” who was “f****** my friend in my own house”. “I’ll never understand why you came to hate and disrespect me so. And threw 7 years of the best marriage, a life, a family, and a business away – for a guy who knowingly was breaking us up, clearly with no morals of his... https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/entertainment/article/3304124/who-nick-hissom-stepson-casino-mogul-steve-wynn-model-and-socialite-he-just-broke-his-long-time?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/entertainment/article/3304124/who-nick-hissom-stepson-casino-mogul-steve-wynn-model-and-socialite-he-just-broke-his-long-time?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 27 Mar 2025 22:00:15 +0000 Aileen Chuang Aileen Chuang Todd Boehly, an American tycoon who counts Chelsea Football Club, the Los Angeles Dodgers and the Los Angeles Lakers in his portfolio, said he sees many opportunities in Asia, including Hong Kong and Macau. The opportunities may lead to a bigger presence in the region for his newly established asset-management firm in the future. “It’s a giant market and it’s right on the doorstep of [1.4] billion Chinese people,” Boehly said in an exclusive interview with the Post on Monday. “I have to lay the... https://www.scmp.com/business/banking-finance/article/3303643/chelsea-owner-todd-boehly-eyes-hong-kong-and-macau-fintech-entertainment-expansion?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/banking-finance/article/3303643/chelsea-owner-todd-boehly-eyes-hong-kong-and-macau-fintech-entertainment-expansion?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 24 Mar 2025 10:00:45 +0000 During a family trip to Alameda, California, in the early 1980s, we were lounging after breakfast in my aunt’s house when a tall Eurasian lady entered nonchalantly through the back door and made herself at home. She introduced herself as Auntie Mamie and proceeded to share stories about her memories of Hong Kong. It was not until many years later that I realised this woman was Mamie Ho, cousin of Stanley Ho, the late tycoon and owner of Macau’s Hotel Lisboa. I never realised how significant a... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/entertainment/article/3300033/shades-vegas-macau-pleasure-palace-hotel-lisboa-focal-point-city-55-years-ago?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/entertainment/article/3300033/shades-vegas-macau-pleasure-palace-hotel-lisboa-focal-point-city-55-years-ago?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 26 Feb 2025 09:15:09 +0000 Many celebrities are known for taking risks – whether it’s in the roles they take on, the music they produce, or the opportunities they pursue outside their fields. When this is in the realm of their careers, the rewards are often worth the gamble. However, not all risk-takers are as lucky when it comes to placing (literal) bets. What happens in Vegas When rumours of Bruno Mars racking up a US$50 million gambling debt during his Las Vegas residency at Park MGM started circulating online in... https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/entertainment/article/3299645/celebrities-who-love-gambling-drake-and-bruno-mars-michael-jordan-charles-barkley-and-tiger-woods?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/entertainment/article/3299645/celebrities-who-love-gambling-drake-and-bruno-mars-michael-jordan-charles-barkley-and-tiger-woods?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 21 Feb 2025 20:00:08 +0000 Thailand has proposed tough entry requirements for local punters in casinos as it plans to build a major gaming industry to boost tourism, according to a new draft regulation that could dent investor interest. Thai nationals must have at least 50 million baht (US$1.5 million) in fixed deposits for at least six months to be able to enter casinos, according to the draft issued on Monday by the Office of the Council of State, which governments consult on legal issues, policy and appointments. The... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/3299065/no-better-korea-thailand-eyes-us15-million-minimum-local-casino-gamblers?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/3299065/no-better-korea-thailand-eyes-us15-million-minimum-local-casino-gamblers?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 18 Feb 2025 01:20:04 +0000 Peggy Sito Peggy Sito In the third part of our series on Macau’s integrated resort operators, Peggy Sito looks at how Galaxy Entertainment Group’s new chairman Francis Lui is forging partnerships with global hotel chains and building non-gaming facilities to help lead Macau towards economic diversification. Read the previous instalments on Wynn and Sands China. The late afternoon sun had sunk into early twilight before Francis Lui Yiu-tung could extract himself from several back-to-back planning meetings to conduct... https://www.scmp.com/business/companies/article/3298733/how-galaxys-new-hands-boss-building-macaus-holistic-next-phase?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/companies/article/3298733/how-galaxys-new-hands-boss-building-macaus-holistic-next-phase?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 15 Feb 2025 02:00:20 +0000 Many Thais still disapprove of the government’s plan to allow investments in casinos and the legalisation of online gambling as Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra sought to assure citizens the initiative would bring economic benefits. About 59 per cent of respondents said they disagreed with investments in both casinos and so-called entertainment complexes in Thailand, according to the January 20-21 survey by the National Institute of Development Administration, also known as Nida. About 29... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/3296320/thailands-plan-legalise-casinos-opposed-most-citizens-poll?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/3296320/thailands-plan-legalise-casinos-opposed-most-citizens-poll?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 26 Jan 2025 06:56:24 +0000 Peggy Sito Peggy Sito In the second part of our series on Macau’s integrated resort operators, Peggy Sito looks at how Wynn Macau is adopting the playbook of its Las Vegas parent to capture the hearts and wallets of visitors, as it diversifies its earnings beyond the gambling tables. Click here for the first part. Last autumn, Lamborghini’s US$4 million Veneno Roadster was displayed in the lobbies of Wynn Macau’s flagship hotels, attracting large crowds of racing fans, automobile enthusiasts and tourists from... https://www.scmp.com/business/article/3295196/wynn-looks-vegas-remodel-macaus-us28-billion-casino-hub-14-economy?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/article/3295196/wynn-looks-vegas-remodel-macaus-us28-billion-casino-hub-14-economy?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 18 Jan 2025 02:00:12 +0000 Having returned to Chinese rule in 1999, two years after Hong Kong, Macau has been touted as a better showcase of “one country, two systems”. So when the former Portuguese city marked its 25th anniversary as a special administrative region with a high-profile visit by President Xi Jinping and the inauguration of a new administration, there was much to consider for all concerned. Coming at the crossroads of a new stage of development, the keynote speech by Xi offered timely guidance on the way... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/article/3291800/xi-leaves-macau-no-doubt-responsibility-it-shares-hk-national-development?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/article/3291800/xi-leaves-macau-no-doubt-responsibility-it-shares-hk-national-development?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 20 Dec 2024 22:15:07 +0000 Kahon Chan Kahon Chan Chinese President Xi Jinping said projects in the Hengqin cooperation zone in Zhuhai must not be inconsistent with Beijing’s policy goals in an unusual warning made during his speech at the inauguration of Macau’s new leader on Friday. In his speech conveying his hopes for the incoming Sam Hou-fai administration on Friday, Xi urged Macau to “pinpoint its focus” on creating a more diversified economy, improve industrial development planning, increase policy support and capital investment, while... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/politics/article/3291792/xi-jinping-stresses-projects-hengqin-zone-must-align-beijing-policies?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/politics/article/3291792/xi-jinping-stresses-projects-hengqin-zone-must-align-beijing-policies?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 20 Dec 2024 14:36:57 +0000 Peggy Sito Peggy Sito A simplified transport and immigration clearance between Hong Kong and Macau could significantly ease travel and spur tourism between the two Chinese cities, according to Wynn Macau, one of six casino operators in the former Portuguese colony. By improving connectivity and cooperation, the governments of both special administrative regions can create a more conducive environment and experience for local residents and foreign visitors, vice-chairman and president Linda Chen said. “If we host an... https://www.scmp.com/business/companies/article/3291658/wynn-macau-calls-easier-transport-immigration-hong-kong-spur-tourism?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/companies/article/3291658/wynn-macau-calls-easier-transport-immigration-hong-kong-spur-tourism?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 20 Dec 2024 06:43:22 +0000 Enoch Yiu Enoch Yiu Macau casino and resort operator Galaxy Entertainment Group has named Francis Lui Yiu-tung, the eldest son of the recently deceased tycoon Lui Che-woo, as its new chairman with immediate effect. The board believes Francis Lui, who formerly was deputy chairman, “will continue to bring satisfying benefits and positive impact on the development of the group’s businesses”, the company said in a filing to the Hong Kong stock exchange on Friday. The elder Lui, who rose from humble beginnings selling... https://www.scmp.com/business/companies/article/3290739/galaxy-entertainment-appoints-founder-lui-che-woos-eldest-son-chairman?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/companies/article/3290739/galaxy-entertainment-appoints-founder-lui-che-woos-eldest-son-chairman?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 13 Dec 2024 11:46:41 +0000 Enoch Yiu,Danny Mok,Peggy Sito Enoch Yiu,Danny Mok,Peggy Sito Lui Che-woo, who rose from humble beginnings selling peanuts and snacks to become one of Asia’s biggest casino magnates, with a portfolio of hotels, resorts and property in Hong Kong and Macau, has died. He was 95. Lui, the chairman and founder of the K. Wah Group of companies, died peacefully on November 7, according to filings to the Hong Kong stock exchange by K. Wah International, which develops property, and Galaxy Entertainment Group (GEG), which operates a casino and resort in... https://www.scmp.com/business/article/3286122/lui-che-woo-hong-kong-property-and-casino-magnate-kwah-galaxy-dies-age-95?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/article/3286122/lui-che-woo-hong-kong-property-and-casino-magnate-kwah-galaxy-dies-age-95?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 11 Nov 2024 15:11:40 +0000 Ng Kang-chung,Willa Wu Ng Kang-chung,Willa Wu China’s National Day “golden week”, which began on October 1, is usually a major travel and shopping period, but there was hardly any buzz in the historic heart of Macau last Wednesday afternoon. On Rua da Felicidade, a picturesque street close to bustling Avenida de Almeida Ribeiro, jade shop owner Yan Kin-kok prepared for an afternoon nap. He had no customers since opening at 11am. A government plan to diversify the local economy by turning the street into a pedestrian zone had not resulted in... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/hong-kong-economy/article/3281920/macau-top-job-hopeful-sam-hou-fai-betting-against-house-taking-aim-casinos?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/hong-kong-economy/article/3281920/macau-top-job-hopeful-sam-hou-fai-betting-against-house-taking-aim-casinos?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 11 Oct 2024 00:30:10 +0000 As the Philippine government moves to shut offshore gaming operators (Pogos) over their links to organised crime, experts warn that endemic corruption may enable the industry to persist in the country or relocate abroad. The industry is operated by criminal elements who are used to moving around while running its operations, said Alvin Camba, a research adviser at Associated Universities Incorporated, who has studied Chinese investments in Southeast Asia. “I anticipate that a significant number... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3281148/are-pogos-philippines-evading-ban-rebranding-through-corruption?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3281148/are-pogos-philippines-evading-ban-rebranding-through-corruption?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 05 Oct 2024 09:00:07 +0000 China-focused online casinos that boomed in the Philippines during Rodrigo Duterte’s presidency may have “deep links” to international crime syndicates, a lawmaker leading the probe on the industry said on Friday. The Senate inquiry on so-called Philippine offshore gaming operators has established ties between these gambling operations and foreign criminal groups, Senator Risa Hontiveros told foreign correspondents. “We have seen numerous and deep links to transnational crime syndicates,” she... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/3279282/philippines-says-china-centric-pogos-deeply-linked-global-crime-rings?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/3279282/philippines-says-china-centric-pogos-deeply-linked-global-crime-rings?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 20 Sep 2024 07:23:48 +0000 Agencies Agencies Cashless gambling will be soon be permitted at Singapore’s two casinos under amendments to the city state’s Casino Control Act, though the use of cryptocurrencies will remain prohibited. The changes aim to future-proof the regulatory framework, allowing for new gaming methods, Minister of State for Home Affairs and for Social and Family Development Sun Xueling told parliament on Tuesday. Cashless betting will include options such as placing wagers at gaming tables or machines by drawing virtual... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/3278030/singapore-gives-go-ahead-cashless-gambling-its-casinos-not-cryptocurrencies?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/3278030/singapore-gives-go-ahead-cashless-gambling-its-casinos-not-cryptocurrencies?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 11 Sep 2024 02:29:47 +0000 Philippine police raided a Chinese-run scam centre in the capital Manila on Thursday, arresting dozens of Filipino and foreign workers who allegedly tricked people into investing in a “manipulated” trading platform. Police said the centre was operating in the guise of a licensed online gaming company, which President Ferdinand Marcos Jnr banned last month over the industry’s links to scams, kidnapping, human trafficking and murder. Among the 67 foreigners arrested during the predawn raid on an... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/3275527/philippine-police-raid-chinese-run-scam-centre-arrest-filipinos-and-67-foreign-nationals?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/3275527/philippine-police-raid-chinese-run-scam-centre-arrest-filipinos-and-67-foreign-nationals?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 22 Aug 2024 14:08:08 +0000 A proposal by a group of young entrepreneurs in Indonesia to build a casino on the island resort of Bali has sparked debate on the feasibility of the plan in a Muslim-majority nation where gambling is illegal. While officials have dismissed the idea, members of the Indonesian Young Entrepreneurs Association (Hipmi) in Bali, who floated the suggestion on July 12, insist that a Bali casino would boost the island’s income by up to 13 trillion rupiah (US$809 million) to help it tackle a host of... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/economics/article/3273831/bali-casino-impossible-dream-or-economically-sound-gamble-indonesia?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/economics/article/3273831/bali-casino-impossible-dream-or-economically-sound-gamble-indonesia?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 09 Aug 2024 07:00:08 +0000 Thailand is pressing ahead with plans to legalise casinos as it seeks to burnish the country’s appeal as a tourism hotspot and draw billions of dollars in foreign investment and taxes. Draft rules to allow casinos with an initial license for 30 years were published for public feedback until August 18 by the Council of State, the government’s legal agency. The casinos will have the option of renewing the permit for another 10 years and be housed in large entertainment complexes along with hotels,... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/3273144/thailand-closer-take-gamble-casinos-unveils-draft-rules?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/3273144/thailand-closer-take-gamble-casinos-unveils-draft-rules?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 04 Aug 2024 08:42:30 +0000 Xinyi Wu Xinyi Wu Macau casino operator MGM China recorded its best second-quarter performance on record as gamblers and tourists returned to the city, aided by higher winning ratios and a dismantling of pandemic curbs that helped fuel a rebound in tourism. The firm reported a 40 per cent jump in adjusted earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortisation (Ebitda) to HK$2.44 billion (US$312.2 million) in the three months to June 30, according to a Hong Kong stock exchange filing on Thursday. It... https://www.scmp.com/business/companies/article/3272805/macau-casino-group-mgm-china-reports-best-ever-june-quarter-tourists-return-winning-odds-improve?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/companies/article/3272805/macau-casino-group-mgm-china-reports-best-ever-june-quarter-tourists-return-winning-odds-improve?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 01 Aug 2024 09:09:38 +0000 Sam Beltran Sam Beltran President Ferdinand Marcos Jnr’s pronouncement that Philippine offshore gaming operators (Pogos) have been banned in the country “effective immediately” has been widely applauded but also raised many questions, particularly about the 40,000 Filipino workers whose jobs are at stake. “The grave abuse and disrespect to our system and laws must stop. We need to end their havoc on society and the tarnish of our country,” Marcos Jnr said during his State of the Nation Address on Monday in which he... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3272078/after-philippines-pogos-ban-what-next-40000-displaced-filipino-workers-industry?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3272078/after-philippines-pogos-ban-what-next-40000-displaced-filipino-workers-industry?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 28 Jul 2024 07:30:18 +0000 The Mirage is about to vanish from the Las Vegas Strip. Gambling ended and the doors closed on July 17 at the iconic, tropical-island-themed hotel-casino that opened in 1989 with a fire-spewing volcano outside, and Siegfried & Roy’s lions and dolphins inside. Frenzied final days have seen standing-room crowds wagering to win US$1.6 million in slot machine progressive jackpot winnings that state regulations say have to be disbursed before the lights go out and a massive transformation of the... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/entertainment/article/3270891/mirage-casino-resort-changed-strip-closes-return-hard-rock-las-vegas?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/entertainment/article/3270891/mirage-casino-resort-changed-strip-closes-return-hard-rock-las-vegas?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 18 Jul 2024 11:26:07 +0000 Casinos in Singapore will soon face tighter rules on conducting due diligence checks when receiving cash, as part of updated measures to counter terrorism financing. Due diligence checks will have to be carried out when casinos receive a cash deposit of S$4,000 (US$2,950) or more into a customer’s account – down from the current threshold of S$5,000. This is the first revision to the threshold. It would be implemented this year, although authorities did not state when exactly the new... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/3268717/singapore-casinos-face-tougher-regulations-prevent-terrorism-financing-money-laundering?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/3268717/singapore-casinos-face-tougher-regulations-prevent-terrorism-financing-money-laundering?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 01 Jul 2024 08:07:26 +0000 Thai Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin used his first monthly television address as the country’s leader to promote plans for legalising casinos and building a nuclear power plant to curb illegal gambling and reduce electricity costs. Casinos would bring gambling businesses under the government’s control, while a nuclear power plant would ease public dissent over high energy bills because of its lower generation costs, Srettha said in the recorded TV programme. “We have to admit that underground... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/3267647/thailands-srettha-touts-plans-legalising-casinos-building-nuclear-plant-cut-power-costs?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/3267647/thailands-srettha-touts-plans-legalising-casinos-building-nuclear-plant-cut-power-costs?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 22 Jun 2024 06:30:09 +0000 This article was first published on May 19, 2004 By Freda Wan and Harald Bruning in Macau Macau’s gaming industry entered a new era yesterday amid chaotic scenes. Scuffles broke out as more than 15,000 people jammed into the Sands casino, the first challenger to Stanley Ho Hung-sun’s gambling empire. Hundreds of security officers had trouble controlling the crowds that gathered outside, many of them lured by false newspaper reports that free gambling chips would be handed to first-day... https://www.scmp.com/business/article/3262611/when-sands-macau-first-opened-its-doors-20-years-ago-chaos-and-scuffles-ensued-scmp-archive?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/article/3262611/when-sands-macau-first-opened-its-doors-20-years-ago-chaos-and-scuffles-ensued-scmp-archive?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 18 May 2024 06:25:12 +0000 Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim said his government won’t consider approving another casino in the Southeast Asian nation. “Affirmative no,” Anwar said at the Qatar Economic Forum on Tuesday, when asked if his administration would allow a second casino in Malaysia. “There’s no necessity for Malaysia to venture into the casino business,” Anwar said. “We are focusing on digital transformation, energy transition, AI, and we believe that this is adequate to push the country... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/3262722/pm-anwar-ibrahim-says-malaysia-doesnt-need-new-casino-boost-economy?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/3262722/pm-anwar-ibrahim-says-malaysia-doesnt-need-new-casino-boost-economy?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 15 May 2024 02:43:49 +0000