Inside Asian Gaming

IAG FEB 2023年2月 亞博匯 62 gambling center; it was not until the 1980s and the opening of the Mirage that its reputation was re-oriented to a multi- faceted destination where well- regulated gaming is but one of a multitude of pleasurable offerings for visitors. COMPETITIVE ADVANTAGE Macau’s unassailable competitive advantage as the only location of legal casinos within greater China does not necessarily confer any advantage when it comes to competing for non-gaming visitation. MICE business is a good example; aside from the capacity of its existing facilities, and gaming, what is there about Macau that would make it a more attractive destination for MICE than Singapore, Hong Kong or multiple PRC cities (think Shanghai/Guangzhou and Shenzhen)? Macau is no longer a cheap place to visit, so pricing flexibility is not the advantage it may once have been. Moreover, the concessionaires will not be willing, or likely able to loss- lead with or subsidize their non-gaming offerings given the depths gaming revenues have plumbed since 2019. Reflecting on these enablers, it is difficult to think of a single publicly articulated strategy adopted by the SAR government to support the gaming concessionaires in their quest to invest rather than simply spend US$13.5 billion over the next 10 years. Hopefully all parties can work together to better enable a mutual understanding of the issues ahead and an acceptable means of successfully navigating a way through them. COLUMNISTS