Inside Asian Gaming

IAG FEB 2023年2月 亞博匯 110 changed, the mode of operations of VIP rooms has changed, the entire social situation has changed and the spending of visitors has significantly changed,” he said. The gaming industry has also undergone an evolution, particularly with completion of the re-tendering of gaming concessions, amendment of the criminal law in mainland China to prohibit offshore gambling and the passing of new gaming and junket laws in Macau. Now, Ho said, the Macau gaming industry has shifted its focus towards the mass market and dealing with broader challenges than the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. “(We) evaluate Macau’s gaming industry this year from a macroeconomic view, as Macau is an open economy,” he said. “The US interest rate hike and geopolitical and socio- economic conditions will bring new challenges to Macau and its gaming industry. These sorts of challenges are not similar to the impact of the pandemic in the previous three years but are global impacts.” However, he adds, “Even facing the threats from emerging gaming cities such as Singapore or the Philippines, Macau can give more confidence to gamblers in terms of security, its legal system and its facilities.” The reopening of borders has already seen visitor numbers on the rise, with more than 100,000 visitor arrivals in the first three days and more than 150,000 on the following three-day weekend (Friday to Saturday). More than 400,000 crossed into Macau during the Lunar New Year holiday period. A souvenir shop owner in the Ruínas de São Paulo area told IAG that his business had peaked for the first time in three years after Macau lifted all zero-COVID measures. “Finally we are seeing queues of visitors outside souvenir shops and a crowd of people at the Ruínas de São FEATURES