• Subscribe
  • Magazines
  • About
  • Contact
  • Advertise
Saturday 6 September 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

Junkets can survive without Chinese players: Davis Fong

Newsdesk by Newsdesk
Wed 15 Dec 2021 at 16:51
Junkets can survive without Chinese players: Davis Fong
141
SHARES
3.5k
VIEWS
Print Friendly, PDF & Email

Macau gaming professor and former lawmaker Davis Fong says the city’s junket operators can not only survive but still flourish by shifting their focus away from mainland Chinese customers and towards Hong Kong and Southeast Asia.

Speaking to media at the closing ceremony of the Macau government Responsible Gambling Promotions for 2021 at the Macau Science Centre, Fong – Professor in Integrated Resort and Tourism Management and Director of Institute for the Study of Commercial Gaming at the University of Macau – said it was up to the junket industry to adapt to recent challenges from China’s crackdown on cross-border gambling.

The junket sector is currently in the crossroads after Macau’s dominant junket operator, Suncity Group, closed its VIP rooms and ultimately shut down its business earlier this month following the arrest of its CEO, Alvin Chau.

“With these changes, our gaming services will depend on exportation, which means [sourcing] clients from different regions,” Fong said.

“Traditionally some casinos and VIP rooms have targeted clients from mainland China to promote their business, but this is inconsistent with the legal system.

“But I don’t agree that we are at the phase of remodelling our structure. VIP rooms existed before the handover [of Macau from Portugal back to China in 1999]. I remember during that decade there were many clients from Southeast Asia, including Japanese, Malaysian, [Thai and] Taiwanese.

“So I think in the future, according to the change of rules, VIP rooms must make a suitable adjustment. We should not forget Southeast Asian clients just because we focused more on mainland China after the handover.”

Short term, with COVID-19 keeping the borders of China and its two SARs closed to the world, Fong believes Macau should look to Hong Kong to fill the void.

“Hong Kong clients have always been an important client source,” he said. “Before then handover, 7 million people came to Macau from Hong Kong each year but with our marketing more focused on mainland China that has dropped to 5 million. Now we have a chance to use our old marketing, so when the border [with Hong Kong] opens [from 19 December], we move forward step by step, absorbing more Hong Kong clients.

“This is for the short term. For the middle term, we hope with vaccination that next year we can have international tourism.”

Speaking more broadly on what 2022 might hold for the Macau gaming industry, Fong said there has been a clear correlation between gross gaming number and visitation. When visitor numbers grow, he says, so will GGR.

“Our tourist numbers are the main factor in driving the GGR,” he said.

RelatedPosts

MGM Cotai

Bill Hornbuckle: Macau promotional environment now locked in place despite rapid return of VIPs

Fri 5 Sep 2025 at 06:45
A New Macau

Macau GGR now seen hitting US$31.8 billion as Jefferies again upgrades 2025 revenue forecast

Fri 5 Sep 2025 at 05:40
Galaxy Macau signs four-year strategic partnership to bring UFC events to Galaxy Arena

Galaxy Macau signs four-year strategic partnership to bring UFC events to Galaxy Arena

Thu 4 Sep 2025 at 12:13
Ng Wai Han named as first ever female director of Macau’s gaming regulator

Staffing ratio of locals within Macau’s gaming industry in focus as DICJ promotes two more department heads from Labour Affairs Bureau

Wed 3 Sep 2025 at 14:26
Load More
Tags: ChinaDavis Fonggross gaming revenueJunketsMacauVIP
Share56Share10
Newsdesk

Newsdesk

The IAG Newsdesk team comprises some of the most experienced journalists in the Asian gaming industry. Offering a broad range of expertise, their decades of combined know-how spans multiple countries across a variety of topics.

Current Issue

Editorial – Flipping the script

Editorial – Flipping the script

by Ben Blaschke
Thu 28 Aug 2025 at 12:30

This month represents an important milestone for Inside Asian Gaming as we launch IAG EXPO – an expansion of the...

Asia market roundup

Asia market roundup

by Ben Blaschke
Thu 28 Aug 2025 at 12:26

Inside Asian Gaming takes a deep dive into the state of Asia-Pacific’s key gaming markets: who’s hot, who’s not and...

Rewriting the rules

Rewriting the rules

by Newsdesk
Thu 28 Aug 2025 at 11:43

IAG EXPO, taking place at Newport World Resorts from 8 to 10 September, is not your usual trade show. IAG...

Test of character

Test of character

by Newsdesk
Thu 28 Aug 2025 at 11:28

Since its establishment in 1989, Gaming Laboratories International (GLI) has developed into the world’s most trusted name when it comes...

Evolution Asia
Your browser does not support HTML5 video.
Aristocrat
GLI
Nustar
SABA
Mindslot
Solaire
Hann
Tecnet
NWR
NWR

Related Posts

Vietnam’s new Van Don integrated resort project scheduled for 2032 opening

Vietnam’s new Van Don integrated resort project scheduled for 2032 opening

by Ben Blaschke
Sat 6 Sep 2025 at 09:34

A new US$2 billion integrated resort to be built by Vietnamese development giant Sun Group in Van Don, Quang Ninh Province is planned to open in 2032, the company has informed Vietnam’s central government. The update, reported by local media...

IAG announces 19 sponsors of IAG EXPO’s Manila After Dark Official Welcome Event at Newport World Resorts on Monday 8 September

IAG announces 19 sponsors of IAG EXPO’s Manila After Dark Official Welcome Event at Newport World Resorts on Monday 8 September

by Newsdesk
Fri 5 Sep 2025 at 10:26

Inside Asian Gaming is delighted to announce a total of 19 sponsors for Manila After Dark (MAD) next Monday 8 September – the official welcome event for IAG EXPO, taking place at Manila’s Newport World Resorts. Running from 8 to 10 September,...

MGM Cotai

Bill Hornbuckle: Macau promotional environment now locked in place despite rapid return of VIPs

by Ben Blaschke
Fri 5 Sep 2025 at 06:45

Macau’s notoriously aggressive promotional environment has settled into a rhythm, according to MGM Resorts CEO and President Bill Hornbuckle – despite competition in the premium gaming segments rising as former junket players return to the city in swathes. Hornbuckle discussed...

AGEM Index up 14.4% in October on Aristocrat, Light & Wonder stock price gains

AGEM Index grows 5% in August as Konami, Aristocrat show strong stock performance

by Newsdesk
Fri 5 Sep 2025 at 05:56

The AGEM Index – a monthly stock performance guide comprising 10 global gaming suppliers – grew by 5.0% month-on-month or 93.66 points to 1,983.73 points in August, with Konami seeing the largest positive contribution. Konami had only last month been...

Your browser does not support the video tag.


IAG

© 2005-2025
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

© 2005-2025
Inside Asian Gaming.
All rights reserved.

  • 中文
  • English
  • 日本語