CE believes the SAR government has enough conditions to open public tender for gaming concessions

Macau (MNA) – Chief Executive (CE), Fernando Chui Sai On said on Thursday during a question and answer session at the Legislative Assembly (AL) that he believes the Macau SAR Government has “enough conditions” to open a public tender for a renewal of gaming concessions while emphasizing the government has no intention to extend gaming concession contracts in the future.

Last month, the government extended the gaming concession contracts of SJM Holdings and MGM Grand Paradise S.A. to June 26, 2022. 

Legislator Leong Sun Iok asked the CE during the AL session today whether the government would consider extending the concession of the six current gaming license holders the same way it did with SJM and MGM.

The CE answered that the government has already started the internal review and amendment of the law and regulation related to the operation of gaming concessions, such as the public tender contract and the criteria about the qualifications and financial capabilities of eligible bidders.

He said the amendment of the law and regulation is underway but did not know when it would be finished.

However, the CE said he is “confident” that the government has enough time to amend the law and “plenty of conditions” to open a public tender for the renewal of gaming concessions.

Those conditions, as the CE mentioned, are the development of gaming and non-gaming elements in Macau, the guarantee of rights for resident workers, and the coordination with Macau’s position as a world centre of tourism and leisure.