Macau Bill Proposes Jail Terms for Illegal Gaming Loans

New legislation in Macau would provide stricter punishments for people who make illegal loans for casino gambling. The bill has been sent to the Legislative Assembly for review.

Published February 26, 2024

Macau Exceeds 1 Million Visitors for CNY

Macau welcomed more than 1 million visitors during the weeklong Chinese New Year holiday. That’s up 3.7 percent compared to 2019 and the highest figure tabulated since 2017.

Published February 26, 2024

Mohegan Inspire Grand Opening Set for March 5

Mohegan Inspire in Incheon, South Korea, which introduced its non-gaming operations last November, will stage an official grand opening on March 5. The resort’s casino opened February 3.

Published February 19, 2024

Myanmar Casino Shut Down After Raids

Police in Myanmar have issued an arrest warrant for U Kyaw Lwin, owner of a casino resort on Thahtay Kyun island. The fugitive is wanted for money laundering, illegal...

Published February 19, 2024

Macau Posts Big Visitation in CNY

The Chinese New Year started with a bang in Macau, which expects up to 1 million visitors before the holidays end on February 24. The hotel occupancy rate neared...

Published February 19, 2024

Report: Marina Bay Sands Highest in Brand Value

Singapore casino resort Marina Bay Sands (l.) tops the 2024 Brand Finance list on brand value. The property’s “status as a key landmark” earned it comparisons to the Eiffel...

Published February 19, 2024

Macau Government Waives Operator Tax

Last month, Macau Chief Executive Ho Iat Seng announced that casino concessionaires will be exempt from paying taxes on gambling operation profits. The renewed deal is effective through 2027.

Published February 12, 2024

Imperial Pacific Adds CNMI Governor to Lawsuit

Imperial Pacific International has added the governor of the Mariana Islands to its lawsuit against the Commonwealth Casino Commission. IPI claims that wrong actions by both defendants absolves it...

Published February 5, 2024

Macau Gaming Crimes Up in 2023, Down Compared to 2019

The world’s top gaming destination saw an uptick in gaming-related crimes in 2023, but compared to 2019, before Covid-19 shutdowns, the figure dropped by almost half.

Published February 5, 2024

PAGCOR Wants to Cut Tax on Gambling Win

In an effort to be more competitive with jurisdictions like Macau and Singapore, the Philippines’ gaming regulator wants to reduce the tax on casino winnings. A bill is now...

Published February 5, 2024

Counterfeit Chip Scam Busted in Macau

A suspected counterfeit chip scam has been busted by Macau law enforcement. The scam reportedly caused losses of HKD1.62 million ($210,000) for a casino in the city.

Published January 29, 2024

Macau Jockey Club Could Become Concert Venue

The Macau Jockey Club, which is scheduled to close on April 1, may serve as a concert venue, says Elsie Ao Ieong, the city’s Secretary for Social Affairs and...

Published January 29, 2024

Survey: Macau Casino Workers Ranked High by ‘Mystery Shoppers’

The Macau Gaming Service Index for 2023 shows that casino staff ranked high for disposition, friendliness and overall service last year. The index was compiled with the use of...

Published January 29, 2024

United Nations Links Asian Casinos, Financial Crimes

A January 15 report from the United Nations says casinos and junkets are a “critical piece” of the “underground banking and money laundering infrastructure” in East and Southeast Asia,...

Published January 29, 2024

Mohegan Inspire Wins Korean Casino License

Mohegan Gaming’s Inspire Entertainment Resort in Incheon, South Korea will receive a gaming license. The resort, which opened in November, had to win a five-star hotel rating before it...

Published January 29, 2024

Nagasaki May Give IR Another Try

Nagasaki officials want to know why the prefecture was not approved for an integrated resort with gaming. Depending on the answers, they may try again to win an IR...

Published January 29, 2024

In 2023, Macau Casinos Saw Spike in Suspicious Transactions

Macau’s gaming industry posted a sharp increase in suspicious transactions last year. Operators reported more than 3,400 incidents, compared to fewer than 1,200 in 2022.

Published January 22, 2024

Macau Court Cuts Chan Prison Time

It was good news and bad news for Levo Chan (l.), former Macau junket boss. A Macau court reduced his prison sentence by a year and waived damages to...

Published January 22, 2024

LVS May Invest $4 Billion in Marina Bay Sands

The Las Vegas Sands Corp. may increase the budget to expand its Marina Bay Sands (l.) integrated resort in Singapore. According to Deutsche Bank, the total may come to...

Published January 22, 2024

Philippine Regulator Forecasts Record GGR for 2024

The head of the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corp. predicts that gross gaming revenue for 2024 will reach an all-time high of $6 billion, with land-based casinos generating the...

Published January 22, 2024