Inside Asian Gaming

IAG SEP 2020年9月 亞博匯 59 For the government to proceed with a tender after expiry of the current concessions in June 2022 is to invite a sub-optimal outcome. 如果政府依然要在現時專營權於2022年6 月屆滿後進行重新競投的話，將會招致一個 不甚圓滿的結果。 Ho Iat Seng was sworn in as Macau’s new Chief Executive in December, with the re-tendering of gaming licenses among his key tasks. 賀一誠於去年12月宣誓就任澳門特區新一屆行政長官，其任內的主要任務之一就是重新發放博彩牌照。 專欄 different levels,” he said. “In 2003, Macau did not have enough conditions to make a choice, today we have more spaces and conditions to decide the direction of the gaming industry.” Approaching the end of August, it is difficult to share the Secretary’s confidence. The direction of the gaming industry is now being decided by a force which is beyond the control of governments and operators. The longer the pandemic continues to ravage global economies the less likely it is that activity will snap back to anywhere near where it was, when the coronavirus has finally been conquered or community transmission of it eliminated. The so-called second wave of infections appearing in Europe, Singapore, Japan and Australia suggests that a protracted U- or W-shaped recovery is a more probable scenario. Irrespective, there seems to be an emerging broad consensus among economists that it will take many years, if not decades for the private sector to recover