Macau Casino Operators to Pay $6M Each for License Extensions Through 2022

The Captain Hicks Macau casino operators testament for each one compensate the enclave administration MOP47 jillion — or rough $5.83 1000000 based on today’s interchange rank — to experience their gaming concessions extended through December 31, 2022.

For more than 2 years, COVID-19 has greatly slowed the Macau government’s legislative rulemaking inward finalizing its next gaming law. The Special Administrative Region (SAR) proclaimed earlier this month that the VI gambling casino licenses would as a result live extended from their scheduled June 26 expirations through and through the year’s end. But that extension, of course, comes at a cost.

Macau officials floated a permission filename extension fee ranging 'tween MOP50 billion to MOP80 million. But Sands China, the Chinese operating building block of Las Vegas Sands, reveals through and through its 2021 Annual Report that Macau opted to come in inwards on the depress remainder of the estimated range.

The Macau governance invited [Sands China] to accede a formal asking for an lengthiness on with a consignment to compensate the Macau government activity upwardly to MOP47 one thousand thousand (approximately US$6 trillion at change rates in essence on Dec 31, 2021),” the accompany written report detailed.

Sands Communist China added that it applied for its file name extension on Mar 14.

The licensing university extension costs are in business line with what MGM Red China and SJM Resorts each paid in 2019 to experience their concessions extended 25 months to expire inwards connective with the quaternary other operators. MGM and SJM from each one paid Macau roughly $24.7 1000000 for the rough two-year extensions.

Gaming Law Details

Macau lawmakers go along to finalize the next regulatory conditions inwards the Gaming Law. The effectual fabric will replace the SAR’s foremost 20-year commercial gaming law, which commenced terzetto years after the enclave was handed support to Cathay from Portugal inward 1999.

Some changes regarding the next regulatory surroundings hold already emerged. Macau has opted to keep a six-license gaming market, but is reducing the conceding periods from 20- to 10-year terms.

VIP junket groups, at least as they’ve been known for decades, are also no more. The locomote organizers for the mainland’s wealthiest gamblers have got faced often recent oversight from jurisprudence enforcement throughout PRC and interior Macau.

Suncity Group CEO Alvin Chau and Tak Chun boss Levo Chan experience for each one been arrested and charged with various gambling-related crimes. Macau has since ordered that apiece licensed gambling casino manipulator only do business organisation with a single junket group. The enclave has also mandated that casinos and junkets no more yearner go into into revenue-sharing agreements, and junkets no thirster flat loan gaming credit entry to clients.

Additional details likely to follow included inwards the net version of the next Gaming Law were revealed inwards the Sands report. The companion says it has learned that apiece casino concessionaire testament live required to farther clothe MOP5 one million million (US$620.6 million) into their casinos inwards change for a invigorated 10-year tender.

Application Process

While Macau’s sixer casinos will feature their operating privileges extended through the remainder of the year inward change for the rough $6 million, brokerage JPMorgan expects the tendering appendage to play out inward the 3rd quarter.

The financial services outlet believes the relicensing task will submit a few months. The diligence point can buoy only when begin at one time Macau finalizes and approves its next Gaming Law.