Inside Asian Gaming

IAG AUG 2022年8月 亞博匯 48 VIP industry in late 2021 is one. The refusal to allow electronic processing of visas for mainland visitors to Macau is another. Yet another is the clamping down on travelling to gamble by China’s National Immigration Administration which has publicly stated its goal to “keep gambling-related persons within [mainland China] to the maximum extent possible.” In recent times mainland gamblers visiting Macau have been probingly questioned – some might say harassed – by mainland officials regarding the reasons for their trips to Macau and their source of funds. The mainland relentlessly demands Macau diversify its economy away from gambling. But this is almost futile – a mission impossible for Macau given its history, its land resources (putting aside for another day the whole question of Hengqin Island, which has its own set of issues), its population and their skill set as well as the SAR’s total lack of economic comparative advantage in anything other than the provision of casino gambling in the region. The sole arguable exception to this is the idea of Macau acting as a gateway for Lusophone trade with China – although there are scale and infrastructure issues making the proposal somewhat problematic. Simply put, Macau is no Hong Kong. Seemingly oblivious to the fact it is biting the hand that feeds it, the raft of changes in the new gaming law introduced by the Macau government in late 2021 and early 2022, and subsequently passed by the Macau Legislative Assembly COVER STORY