Satellite casino issue continues to dominate gaming law amendment committee discussion

February 16, 2022 Macau Crime & Legal

Evaluation of the gaming law amendment bill has continued today (Tuesday) in the Legislative Assembly (AL) second standing committee, with legislators again expressing doubts concerning the future of satellite casinos to government officials.

The draft of the much-expected gaming law bill was approved by the AL in January of this year and sent to the second standing committee level for evaluation, with a total of four meetings scheduled for this week alone as legislators look to finish the final amendment draft before the planned June 26, 2022 gaming concession expiration deadline.

A second committee closed-door meeting was held today, with eight legislators, not included as committee members choosing to attend the session, TDM Radio reported.

One of the issues included in the bill that generated more discussion at the plenary was the requirement that any casino operating in Macau will have to be established in an asset that is owned by a gaming concessionaire, implying the current ‘satellite casino’ system would have to be upended.

Satellite casinos’ are venues controlled by independent investors, but who lease on the gaming licence of one of the existing concessionaires, with about 18 satellite casinos currently operating in the city, mostly under SJM’s gaming license.

A three-year transitional period will be granted for the entities responsible for properties holding casinos operating under service agreements to create closer ties to any one of six concessions to be granted in future, with no more details provided in the law on how that transfer of assets would take place.

As in yesterday’s session, committee president, legislator Chan Chak Mo stated that legislators have submitted many inquiries to authorities on whether the three-year transitional period could be extended, the impact of the closure of satellite casinos on the local economy and employees, whether the sector could join forces for a united bid for one gambling license, among other questions.