• Subscribe
  • Magazines
  • About
  • Contact
  • Advertise
Friday 20 June 2025
  • zh-hant 中文
  • ja 日本語
  • en English
IAG
Advertisement
  • Newsfeed
  • Mag Articles
  • Video
  • Opinion
  • Tags
  • Regional
    • Africa
    • Australia
    • Cambodia
    • China
    • CNMI
    • Europe
    • Hong Kong
    • India
    • Japan
    • Laos
    • Latin America
    • Malaysia
    • Macau
    • Nepal
    • New Zealand
    • North America
    • North Korea
    • Philippines
    • Russia
    • Singapore
    • South Korea
    • Sri Lanka
    • Thailand
    • UAE
    • Vietnam
  • Events
  • Contributors
  • SUBSCRIBE FREE
  • 中文
  • 日本語
No Result
View All Result
IAG
  • Newsfeed
  • Mag Articles
  • Video
  • Opinion
  • Tags
  • Regional
    • Africa
    • Australia
    • Cambodia
    • China
    • CNMI
    • Europe
    • Hong Kong
    • India
    • Japan
    • Laos
    • Latin America
    • Malaysia
    • Macau
    • Nepal
    • New Zealand
    • North America
    • North Korea
    • Philippines
    • Russia
    • Singapore
    • South Korea
    • Sri Lanka
    • Thailand
    • UAE
    • Vietnam
  • Events
  • Contributors
  • SUBSCRIBE FREE
  • 中文
  • 日本語
No Result
View All Result
IAG
No Result
View All Result

POST-COVID5: Re-opening mood is growing. What will drive the ramp-up?

Andrew W Scott by Andrew W Scott
Mon 11 May 2020 at 05:39
POST-COVID5: Re-opening mood is growing. What will drive the ramp-up?
66
SHARES
1.6k
VIEWS
Print Friendly, PDF & Email

After many weeks of industry uncertainty, there’s a certain “reopening stirring” in the air.

The casinos in Korea are back open for business. In Vietnam, the unfortunately named Corona casino has reopened, albeit with restrictions. In Hong Kong, the Golden Bus on the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macau Bridge is back, teachers and students are now freely crossing the mainland border, and there is a possible target date of 8 June for the border to open completely – at least with the mainland.

In the Philippines, the current ECQ (enhanced community quarantine) end date of 15 May is nearly upon us, Manila airport reopens gingerly today (Monday) and President Duterte is rumored to make further reopening announcements imminently. In Singapore, the date currently set for reopening Marina Bay Sands and Resorts World Sentosa, 1 June, is now just three weeks away.

In Macau, where I’m penning this, it’s over a month since our last new COVID-19 case, we have only four active cases and less than 200 people are serving out their 14-day quarantine at the SAR’s sole remaining quarantine hotel, Pousada Marina Infante. From today (Monday), there’s now mutual recognition of the green-yellow-red health code systems in Macau and the mainland.

Two things need to happen to hit the “go” button in Macau. First, reinstatement of the IVS (individual visit Scheme), even if just from a few cities in Guangdong, and second, the removal of the 14 day quarantine for visitors returning to mainland China. Either, or even both, could happen this month – if we’re lucky, or in June – more likely.

Once we do hit that “go” button, four factors will drive the GGR ramp-up.

The China macroeconomy

The revenue of IRs across Asia, and especially in Macau, has always been closely correlated with the state of the economy in China. Industry EBITDA is driven by the lucrative premium direct sector, itself dominated by perhaps one to two million “players who matter,” many of whom are business owners in Guangdong and elsewhere in China.

Factor 1: China economic rebound
The Chinese economy has taken a real hit due to COVID-19 and those one to two million “players who matter” will be focussed on the recovery of their own businesses before their minds turn to visiting IRs.

Factor 2: China government stimulus
For decades the Chinese government has seen its stellar domestic economic performance as a key metric of its own success and international soft power. It will be very reticent to allow its economy to falter, and may even seize the opportunity of a virus-weakened US economy to introduce any number of stimulus measures to strongly kick-start the road to recovery.

Visitor sentiment

A recovered Chinese economy alone will not be enough. Potential visitors will need to be in the right state of mind to start visiting IRs again.

Factor 3: The fear factor
This is the big one. After months of being told by the government that crowds and public places are dangerous, resorts will have to convince visitors that gaming floors, restaurants, hotels and other resort public spaces are safe enough to visit – just for the fun of it. This will be no easy task, and will involve both new initiatives to create consumer confidence, as well as effectively delivering the message about those new initiatives.

Factor 4: The fun factor
Many of the new initiatives to combat the fear factor will involve separation, social distancing, going contactless and screens or barriers. But casinos and resorts are social places, where visitors have fun by interacting in groups. Reconciling these is not going to be easy.

As an industry, we have essentially no control over the China economy, but there is much we can do to drive visitor sentiment. In the next article in this series, we will look at upcoming innovations and initiatives to address the fear factor and make resorts feel safer for visitors.

Previous in series: POST-COVID4: Are we there yet?

Next in series: POST-COVID6

Click here for the full POST-COVID Series list of articles.

RelatedPosts

China’s Ambassador to the United States Xie Feng Meets with Wynn CEO Craig Billings

China’s Ambassador to the United States Xie Feng Meets with Wynn CEO Craig Billings

Thu 19 Jun 2025 at 19:54
Landmark chair says satellite casino closures have already led to lease terminations in surrounding area

Landmark chair says satellite casino closures have already led to lease terminations in surrounding area

Wed 18 Jun 2025 at 14:07
Macau GGR hits MOP$19.8 billion in August, up 6% month-on-month

Three Macau concessionaires hold job fairs for displaced satellite casino employees

Tue 17 Jun 2025 at 19:35
Sub-concessions axed, license terms amended as Macau government reveals draft revisions to gaming law

Five Middle Eastern countries granted visa-free entry to Macau from next month

Mon 16 Jun 2025 at 19:33
Load More
Tags: casinoChinacovid-19economyirMacau
Share28Share4
Andrew W Scott

Andrew W Scott

Born in Australia, Andrew is a gaming industry expert and media publisher, commentator and journalist who moved to Hong Kong in 2005 and then Macau in 2009, when he founded O MEDIA, one of Macau’s largest media companies, former and parent company of Inside Asian Gaming (IAG). Both O MEDIA and IAG were merged with US-based gaming media brand CDC Gaming on 1 January 2025, under new corporate parent Complete Media Group (CMG).

Andrew was appointed CEO of Complete Media Group upon the merger. CMG is now the parent of three gaming media brands: Inside Asian Gaming (focusing on land-based gaming in the Asia-Pacific region), CDC Gaming (focusing on land-based gaming in the Americas), and Complete iGaming (focusing on online gaming in the Americas and APAC).

Andrew continues to be Vice Chairman and CEO of IAG and now-sister company O MEDIA.

Current Issue

Editorial – Foreigner-only casinos: Seize the day

Editorial – Foreigner-only casinos: Seize the day

by Ben Blaschke
Thu 29 May 2025 at 13:38

I was recently asked by someone working at a foreigner-only casino for my thoughts on the outlook for the Asian...

On the brink

On the brink

by Pierce Chan
Thu 29 May 2025 at 13:27

The transition period for Macau’s 11 satellite casinos is set to expire at the end of this year, after which...

A moral defense of gambling

A moral defense of gambling

by Andrew Russell
Wed 28 May 2025 at 18:19

Economist Andrew Russell explores the differences between community benefit and in-principle arguments for the existence of a legal gambling industry...

Face to face

Face to face

by Ben Blaschke
Wed 28 May 2025 at 18:08

Konami caught the eye at the recent G2E Asia show in Macau with its SYNK Vision Tables, which utilize facial...

Evolution Asia
Aristocrat
GLI
SABA
Mindslot
Solaire
Hann
Tecnet
NWR
Jumbo
568Win

Related Posts

Philippine tourist arrivals down 0.5% in 1Q25 on fewer visitors from South Korea, China

Contribution of Philippines tourism industry to national GDP rises to 8.9% in 2024

by Newsdesk
Fri 20 Jun 2025 at 06:46

The Philippines tourism industry saw its contribution to the country’s Gross Domestic Product in terms of share rise to 8.9% in 2024, up from 8.7% a year earlier, according to latest data from the Philippine Statistics Authority. Tourism Direct Gross...

Philippines’ maiden PIGO platform generates GGR of US$2.3 million in first six months of operation

DigiPlus appoints new CEO and CDO to drive further online gaming growth

by Newsdesk
Fri 20 Jun 2025 at 06:44

Philippines gaming technology giant DigiPlus – the country’s leading platform in the online and remote gaming space – has announced the appointment of a new Chief Executive Officer and a Chief Digital Officer. In a Philippine Stock Exchange filing on...

China’s Ambassador to the United States Xie Feng Meets with Wynn CEO Craig Billings

China’s Ambassador to the United States Xie Feng Meets with Wynn CEO Craig Billings

by Newsdesk
Thu 19 Jun 2025 at 19:54

Wynn Resorts CEO Craig Billings met this week with the Chinese Ambassador to the United States, Xie Feng, to discuss topics including China’s economic development and Sino–U.S. economic and trade relations. The Chinese Embassy in the United States released details...

1xBet reviews DreamLeague Season 26 esports tournament results

1xBet reviews DreamLeague Season 26 esports tournament results

by Newsdesk
Thu 19 Jun 2025 at 12:50

From 19 May to 1 June , the prestigious Tier 1 Dota 2 tournament was held online, boasting a solid prize pool of US$1 million. It was also the last ESL event before the start of the 2025 Esports World...



IAG

© 2005-2024
Inside Asian Gaming.
All rights reserved.

  • SUBSCRIBE FREE
  • NEWSFEED
  • MAG ARTICLES
  • VIDEO
  • OPINION
  • TAGS
  • REGIONAL
  • EVENTS
  • CONSULTING
  • CONTRIBUTORS
  • MAGAZINES
  • ABOUT
  • CONTACT
  • ADVERTISE
  • 中文
  • 日本語

Welcome Back!

Login to your account below

Forgotten Password?

Retrieve your password

Please enter your username or email address to reset your password.

Log In

Add New Playlist

No Result
View All Result
  • 中文
  • 日本語
  • Subscribe
  • Newsfeed
  • Mag Articles
  • Video
  • Opinion
  • Tags
  • Regional
  • Events
  • Contributors
  • Magazines
  • Advertise
  • Contact
  • About
  • Home for G2E Asia

© 2005-2024
Inside Asian Gaming.
All rights reserved.

  • 中文
  • English
  • 日本語