There's no such thing as too much oversight. Or at least that's the road that Singapore is taking, further lowering the threshold for due diligence on transactions in casinos, as it ups its AML/CFT measures to better align with the FATF.

Official data shows that China's economic slowdown is creating turbulence for Macau's non-gaming sector. While Macau has seen an increase in visitor arrivals and gaming revenue recovery, the retail and luxury sectors are facing challenges. Key factors include reduced spending by Chinese tourists, increased competition from duty-free shops, and the end of the junket business leading to less high-end spending.

SkyCity Entertainment Group has announced has announced the completion of construction works for its five-star Horizon Hotel in Auckland, with opening now scheduled for August 1, 2024.

Beginning July 1st, Chinese visitors will be allowed up to $2,000 in duty-free shopping in Hong Kong and Macau, nearly doubling the current limit. This move aims to support the cities' recovery from the impact of the pandemic.

The instability in the Taiwan Strait is starting to impact Macau’s tourism, as Taiwan's Mainland Affairs Council (MAC) announced on Thursday that it has raised its travel alert for China, Hong Kong, and Macau to the second-highest level, an orange alert.

Macau's gaming market continues to be of interest, with the second quarter results showing a slight discrepancy for the larger operators as they aim to increase their base mass revenue, notes an analyst. Meanwhile, Thailand is proving to be more complicated than initially anticipated, while the UAE also poses its own new questions. On another flank, sports betting is heating up, as the UEFA Euro 2024 continues, with significant interest from Asian punters.

Veteran analyst Vitaly Umansky says that Macau's second quarter data is looking optimistic, as April and May started strong, lifting results. However, operators are needing to focus strongly on mass and premium mass to drive revenues up, as competition increases, even as the market should continue to grow.

Growth can never be permanent. And Macau's gaming market is starting to see the effects of its transition away from the VIP model to a mass market and non-gaming approach. A top scholar notes that its proximity to mainland China will guarantee its success over the next decade, despite what could be seen as a downturn, at least from the golden days.

IDX Games highlights its latest new-to-market offerings, including an AI chatbot and a new signage solution featuring a flying dragon.

Century Entertainment's VIP room at Dara Sakor, Cambodia is set to open in September of this year, the company revealed in its latest financial report.