Inside Asian Gaming

IAG APR 2022年4月 亞博匯 10 MACAU’S CASINO CONCESSIONS EXTENDED SIX MONTHS 澳門現有賭牌 將延長六個月 MACAU’S Secretary for Economy and Finance, Lei Wai Nong, has announced that the six SAR casino gaming operators will have their concessions extended from the former expiry date of 26 June 2022 to 31 December 2022. Lei said the government was confident it could complete the gaming law amendment process before 26 June – the former expiration date of the six current concessions – and start the tendering process after that. “We have notified the gaming operators to prepare for the extension application,” Lei explained. As previously reported by IAG , the draft gaming bill is currently before the Legislative Assembly (AL) which is debating proposed amendments to the gaming law. This was the first time Secretary Lei and other government representatives have participated in the AL’s Second Standing Committee discussions. “We still have time, and we will have a couple more meetings with the Second Standing Committee,” he said. Lei did not respond when questioned about whether the SAR government would extend the concessions again after December if the legislative and/or re-tendering processes were delayed. IAG interpreted the tone of his words as representing the government’s hope to complete the entire re-tendering process, including determining the winning bidders and signing new concession contracts with those winning bidders, by the end of 2022. Once the revised gaming bill is passed, a public tender will be held, after which a maximum of six concessions will be awarded. It is widely expected – although not certain – that the six current concession holders will each win a new 10-year concession, the maximum period allowed under the draft gaming law currently being considered by the AL. 澳門經濟財政司司長 李偉農宣佈，澳門特區六家幸運博彩經營者 的特許權牌照原訂於2022年6月26日到期，政府計劃將延長至 2022年12月31日。 李偉農表示，政府有信心在6月26日，即目前六大博企的牌 照到期日之前完成博彩法的修訂，並會緊隨其後開始招標。 「我們已經通知博企為延期申請做準備。」他解釋說。 正如《亞博匯》之前所報道，博彩法草案目前正在立法會進 行細則性審議，訪問當天是李偉農和其他政府代表第一次參加立 法會第二常設委員會時的討論。 他說：「我們還有時間，我們將與第二常設委員會再舉行幾 次會議。」 被問到一旦推遲立法和重新招標，特區政府是否會在12月後 再次延長賭牌時，李偉農沒有回應。《亞博匯》認為可以解讀為 特區政府希望在2022年底前完成整個重新招標過程，包括確定 中標者以及中標者簽署新的特許經營合同。 一旦修訂後的博彩法案獲得通過，將舉行公開招標，之後將 批出最多六個特許經營牌照。儘管存在不確定性，人們普遍預計 目前的六家特許權持有人將各自獲得新的10年特許權，這是目前 立法會審議的博彩法草案所允許的最長期限。