The secretary for economy and finance, Francis Tam Pak Yuen yesterday announced that the Macau government would restrict the rate of gaming tables growth to no more than 3 percent per year after 2013.

The restrictions will last at least 10 years, he said, until the current gaming concessions expire.

In 2010, Mr Tam already announced a gaming table cap of 5,500 until 2013. At the time, he had said the government’s goal was to promote a growth rate of around 3-4 percent a year.

As of end-June, Macau had a total of 5,237 gaming tables.

Mr Tam also stressed that the government still has not approved Wynn Macau’s Cotai project, but he did not deny that the gaming operator has already accepted the terms proposed by the local authorities for the land concession.

Mr Tam also said that Melco Crown would have to apply to the government in order to have a casino in its Macau Studio City project.