Inside Asian Gaming

inside asian gaming May 2016 36 Macau’s transition to a mass-market destination will take more than development of non-gaming attractions. It will require a change in the city’s gaming offerings too. B y the time this article goes to print Macau will probably be coming off its 23rd consecutive month of year-on- year gaming revenue decline. If this indeed happens for a 24th month, the second anniversary marking the start of Macau’s misfortunes is likely to be well publicized and will no doubt provide some very catchy titles for media around the globe. But for all of us living and working in the SAR, it will be just another day at the office. No surprises, no questions asked. You see, during these last two years, so much ink has been spilled over the downturn topic, so many discussions have been had, in boardrooms, at dinner tables and over drinks after work, that many of us have grown uninterested. Indifferent. And slowly, one by one, we have joined the ranks of the new normal. Rules of the game Games a’Changin’ By Rui Pinto Proença Rui Pinto Proença is a partner at MdME, where he heads the firm’s Corporate and Gaming practice. MdME is a full service Macau law firm and a member of the MLGTS Legal Circle, an integrated alliance with renowned law firms in Portuguese speaking jurisdictions. MdME is also the Macau member firm of Lex Mundi, a world leading network of independent law firms, with in-depth experience in 100+ countries and access to more than 21,000 lawyers worldwide. Macau’s casinos are not permitted to offer live sports betting, which has proved very popular in the US.