AGBrief Editorial

New Zealand and Australian gaming operator SkyCity Entertainment Group announced it has reached a resolution agreement for its dispute with MPF Parking, concerning the concession agreement for a car park in Auckland.

The Macau government will advance with a new bill set to help strenghten illegal gambling crimes prevention by increasing penalties for illegal gambling offenses and granting new investigation powers to security authorities, allowing night home searches and the use of undercover agents.

Macau’s Secretary for Economy and Finance, Lei Wai Nong, expressed confidence that the city is poised to host around 28 million visitor arrivals by the end of this year, following a successful reception of over 25 million tourists in the first 11 months of 2023.

A Magistrate has ordered the Preston Hotel to pay a total of AU$25,300 ($16,600) for allowing a 16-year-old to access betting terminals and gamble at the Hotel on six occasions between May and September 2022.

The Cambodian gaming tycoon and founder of NagaCorp, Chen Lip Keong, has passed away at the age of 75, as announced by the company.

The Commonwealth Casino Commission board has authorized a motion to withdraw three counsels currently assisting Imperial Pacific International (CNMI) LLC in its Supreme Court appeal against CCC’s five complaints.

According to a paper published in the Journal of Gambling Studies about responsible gaming policy and its practice, scholars find that Macau’s casino operators request visitors to show identification to ban those under 21 from entering casinos, which proved to be the most effective measure.

Tiger Resorts, Leisure and Entertainment Inc. (TRLEI), operator of Okada Manila, will acquire PH Travel and Leisure Holdings, the company behind the unfinished Emerald Bay Resort in Cebu.

Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi met with Cambodian Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Sok Chenda Sophea, emphasizing China's readiness to collaborate with Cambodia and other nations to combat online gambling and transnational crimes.

Lottery and integrated technology and services company AGTech Holdings Limited has been selected as a constituent of the MSCI World Micro Cap Index, effective from the market close on November 30, 2023.

The American Gaming Association (AGA) has elected Michael Rumbolz as the association’s new chairman.

New Zealand and Australian gaming operator SkyCity Entertainment Group has announced that it’s expecting its normalized EBITDA for its fiscal 2024 to be effectively flat, reaching between NZ$290 million ($178.65 million) and NZ$310 million ($190.97 million).

Four of the accused in the Suncity junket trial have had their requests for Habeas Corpus denied by the Court of Final Instance.

Wynn Macau has granted five independent non-executive directors the option to subscribe for an aggregate of 5,017,000 ordinary shares of HK$0.001 each.

Six gaming operators in Macau were invited to present their non-gaming investments for 2024 to government officials during a Council for Tourism Development meeting.

Deputy Prime Minister of Singapore Lawrence Wong revealed on Thursday that China and Singapore plan to launch a bilateral visa-free policy as early as 2024.

Ratings agency Fitch expects gaming revenue in Singapore to grow by 10 percent in 2024, following a 2023 return 15 percent higher than pre-pandemic levels.

The planned investment by Macau gaming concessionaires in non-gaming elements will not prevent casino revenues from increasing in the future, the Chairperson and Executive Director of MGM China, Pansy Ho, commented recently.

The Australian Senate on Wednesday approved a new law that prohibits the use of credit cards and digital currencies as payment methods for online gambling in the country. The measure can now come into force subject to an agreed transition period.

Australia’s The Star in Sydney has been given a six-month deadline to get back its gaming license or face closure after authorities in New...