Macau is expected to experience between 5.04 to 5.36 million cross-border movements during the upcoming Chinese New Year period (January 28th to February 4th), with an average of 630,000 to 670,000 people entering and exiting daily, according to the Macau Public Security Police Force, the department responsible for immigration services.
This represents a 3 percent or larger increase compared to the same period in 2024, with peak traffic anticipated on the fourth and fifth days of the new year.
In a press conference outlining the upcoming measures for the holiday season, Lam Tong Hou, Public Relations Director at the Macao Government Tourism Office (MGTO), noted that various government departments, tourism industry groups, and associations will organize a variety of celebrations during the Chinese New Year Golden Week. These events are expected to boost both visitor numbers and hotel occupancy.
As of January 16th, hotel bookings in Macau are nearing 80 percent occupancy. With Chinese New Year fast approaching, reservations are expected to continue growing.
It is also worth noting that, according to a recent survey by Morgan Stanley, the average daily rate for most hotels in Macau during the Chinese New Year period is expected to be 15-40 percent lower than in 2024, and 10-30 percent below the October Golden Week in 2024.
New visa policy adds around 4,400 visitors daily
Lei Tai Fai, spokesperson for the Macau Public Security Police Force, stated that the new visa policy for Macau’s neighboring cities has already shown positive results.
Between January 1st and 21st, more than 91,000 visitors used the new visa to visit Macau. This includes over 18,000 visitors entering under the multiple-entry policy, and more than 73,000 under the one-entry-per-week policy, averaging around 4,400 visitors daily.
As reported earlier this month, over 66,000 multiple-entry visas have been issued for travel to Macau by residents of Zhuhai and Hengqin in less than two weeks.
China’s National Immigration Administration also reported that, since January 1st, 2025, Zhuhai residents have made 257,000 trips to Macau, representing a year-on-year increase of 26.1 percent in the first two weeks of the policy’s implementation.
The Abu Dhabi Investment Office (ADIO) has announced a multi-year partnership with Mario Ho’s eSports and gaming company, NIP Group, aimed at fostering growth in the video gaming, media, and entertainment industries in Abu Dhabi.
Under the five-year agreement, THE NIP Group will establish its global headquarters in the emirate, creating local employment opportunities within the eSports and gaming sectors, as reported by the Khaleej Times.
The collaboration will see NIP Group expand its operations in several key areas, including eSports management, creative studios, game publishing, and event and talent management. ADIO intends to work closely with NIP Group to develop a comprehensive gaming and eSports strategy, leveraging Abu Dhabi’s strategic location and resources.
Mario Ho, Chairman, NIP Group
NIP Group is a NASDAQ-listed company, with Mario Ho serving as its chairman. He is the son of Macau late Macau gaming mogul Stanley Ho and SJM Executive Director Angela Leong. Mario Ho also serves as chairman of the Macau e-Sports Federation.
A key aspect of the partnership is the creation of a local eSports academy and creative studios dedicated to developing games that reflect Abu Dhabi’s cultural identity. New intellectual properties, such as “Made in Abu Dhabi” content featuring locations like Al Ain and Al Dhafra, will be registered locally, further strengthening the emirate’s role as an innovation hub.
Talent development is a central focus of the agreement, with the NIP Group planning an internship program for UAE nationals, as well as educational initiatives and a global exchange program, aligning with Abu Dhabi’s broader economic acceleration goals.
The NIP Group sees the $40 million partnership as a key opportunity for global expansion. With the region’s gaming revenue expected to grow by 13.8 percent annually through 2027, the deal provides strategic advantages for entering the rapidly growing Middle Eastern market.
NIP Group co-CEO Hicham Chahine emphasized the significance of the partnership: “We’re excited to partner with ADIO to establish a global headquarters that reflects both our growth and the expanding gaming industry in the Middle East.”
Chairman Mario Ho added, “This partnership underscores our commitment to sustainable global expansion, creating new jobs and solidifying Abu Dhabi’s leadership in eSports and gaming, while empowering a new generation of professionals in the region.”
Good morning. Things are good, but they could be better. In the case of Thailand, experts laud what has been done so far to push through legislation aimed at opening up the nation’s first IR before Japan does. Despite the progress, the lack of an online component within the legislation has been criticized, as it could open up another massive revenue stream, Meanwhile, in Macau, satellite casino operators say that they’re being left in the dark about what will happen once the transition period ends this year, pushing to maintain some type of status quo to support their non-gaming operations.
Strong support has been shown in pushing forward Thailand’s integrated resort bill, but some hurdles still remain before companies can begin bidding directly for one of the five spots up for grabs. But despite support from the Cabinet and a likely smooth passage through further bodies, experts lament that the bill failed to already include an online component.
In 2024, 1xBet achieved significant breakthroughs and successes, solidifying its position in the iGaming industry. The brand secured major partnership deals, received prestigious awards, and showcased its innovations at the world’s leading forums.
Same-day visitors continued to comprise the majority of tourists to Macau in 2024, amounting to 18.88 million of the nearly 34.93 million that came to the SAR during the year.
The overall figure grew by 23.8 percent yearly, with same-day visitation up by 35 percent yearly.
Overnight visitors totaled 16.04 million, a yearly rise of 12.8 percent.
Despite efforts to increase the length of stay, and encourage increased non-gaming spend in the SAR, the average length of stay of overnight visitors remained unchanged at 2.3 days from 2023.
Macau’s primary tourism source market, mainland China, brought in 24.49 million tourists, up by 28.6 percent yearly.
Those traveling under the Individual Visit Scheme (IVS) totaled 12.28 million, a yearly increase of 15.5 percent.
The total number of tourist group multi-entry visitors totaled just 17,078.
Visitation from the nine cities in the Greater Bay Area increased by 28.8 percent yearly, to 11.98 million.
International visitation, in line with government initiatives and mandates, increased by 66 percent yearly, totaling 2.42 million.
Visitation from the Philippines surged by 57.1 percent, to 493,399, while that from Malaysia also saw a heady rise – up by 82.2 percent yearly, to 181,941.
Visitation from Thailand outpaced that of both Singapore and Japan, but fell far behind that of South Korea.
South Korean visitors totaled 492,184, up by 140 percent yearly, while that from the Philippines totaled 134,658. Japanese tourism totaled 126,242, up by 68 percent yearly.
For long-haul destinations, the United States contributed 147,941 visitors, a 57.7 percent year-on-year rise.
In the final month of the year, tourism numbers totaled 3.04 million, up by just 3.3 percent, despite a 22.5 percent increase in international visitors – 292,202.
The Philippine Department of Tourism (DOT) has signed a cooperation agreement on tourism with its Thailand counterpart.
The agreement was formally signed on January 19th by Philippine Tourism Secretary Christina Garcia Frasco and Thailand Minister of Tourism and Sports Sorawong Thienthong in Johor Bahru, Malaysia.
The newly signed program will run from 2025 to 2030, focusing on enhancing bilateral tourism cooperation and promoting mutual growth within the tourism sectors of both nations.
The agreement emphasizes several key areas of focus: strengthening travel facilitation, enhancing research and development, and improving tourism management and operations through tourism cooperation.
It also aims to facilitate the exchange of successful strategies in sustainable tourism, cultural heritage tourism, and domestic tourism development.
Furthermore, the program encourages collaboration with tourism-related institutions to share technical materials and conduct training programs for professionals, aimed at human resource development.
Additionally, it includes plans for initiating collaborative marketing efforts, such as joint promotional packages and familiarization tours for media and travel agents.
To ensure effective implementation, a Joint Working Group (JWG) will be established to oversee coordination and monitor the program’s activities and deliverables.
This initiative builds on a longstanding partnership established by the original Agreement on Cooperation on Tourism, which was signed in Manila on March 24th, 1993.
Secretary Frasco expressed enthusiasm about the collaboration, stating, that “for the Philippines, this collaboration provides an exciting opportunity to tap into Thailand’s remarkable success in attracting visitors, particularly in areas such as cultural tourism and medical tourism.”
Frasco highlighted that the Philippines stands to benefit from Thailand’s robust arrival numbers and internationally recognized cultural heritage, as well as its world-class medical services, which will enhance the Philippines’ own tourism offerings.
In return, she noted that Thailand could gain from the Philippines’ expertise in hospitality and premier destination for dive tourism and English language education.
Minister Thienthong echoed Frasco’s sentiments, expressing gratitude for the memorandum of understanding and the anticipated exchange of knowledge and technology between the two countries.
Thailand stands to gain from the Philippines’ experience and expertise in the gaming space – both for land-based and online (if Thai authorities decide to pursue the online gaming route). The new framework ends in 2030, with Thai authorities hoping to open the nation’s first integrated resort in the country by 2029.
Receiving this prestigious award underscores BetConstruct’s esteemed status in the iGaming sector and highlights the company’s unwavering dedication to innovation and the integration of cutting-edge technologies into its offerings.
The International Gaming Awards (IGA) is one of the most prestigious events in the iGaming industry, recognizing excellence across multiple sectors, including online and land-based gaming.
BetConstruct Wins Prestigious IGA Award
The Technology Provider and Supplier category recognises companies that excel in providing technological solutions to the iGaming industry, including platform providers, game developers, and infrastructure suppliers. This award acknowledges BetConstruct’s ongoing dedication to developing cutting-edge solutions that empower iGaming operators worldwide with the company’s comprehensive suite of products and services that are powered by robust technology infrastructure, proving once again to be industry-leading.
IGA Awards and ICE Barcelona align in showcase
The prestigious IGA 2025 celebrates BetConstruct’s technological excellence, highlighted during ICE Barcelona 2025 through the company’s flagship innovations, which include but are not limited to:
Bonus Pie a robust in-game marketplace for redeeming points for exclusive NFTs.
The Last Battle next-level loyalty system for maximising player journeys with customised levels.
Trebuchet innovative system designed to enhance player engagement with challenge-based gameplay.
This recognition, coinciding with one of the industry’s go-to events, showcases BetConstruct’s continued leadership in delivering novel technological solutions to the global market.
MGM China has announced a salary increment for all eligible team members, effective March 24th, 2025.
The increase will provide a 2.5 percent salary bump for nearly all eligible employees, with 99 percent of team members set to benefit.
For those earning a monthly salary of MOP16,000 ($1,994) or less, a standard adjustment of MOP600 ($75) will be implemented, translating to an increment ranging from 2.5 percent to 5.5 percent.
MGM is the fifth of the SAR’s six gaming concessionaires to announce a salary increase. Melco was the third gaming operator in Macau to announce a pay raise for 2025, following similar announcements from Sands China, Galaxy Entertainment, and SJM.
As the new integrated resort bill moves on to ultimately be approved by Thailand’s Cabinet, it could be a missed opportunity to also legislate online gaming, experts tell AGB.
The Entertainment Complex Business Act has already been approved in principle by the Cabinet and will soon be forwarded to the House of Representatives for further deliberation. The legislative process is expected to take around six months, after which the rules and final details of the project will be worked out before implementation begins next year.
For gaming expert Daniel Cheng, this approval “is another step forward, but ultimately a non-event” since as it’s a government-sponsored bill “it’s a given that the Cabinet will rubber-stamp it.”
Meanwhile, iGaming consultant Anthony MacKay shared his thoughts on the forthcoming regulations, emphasizing that the most notable aspect of the upcoming legislation is its exclusive focus on land-based gambling, with no mention of online gambling.
“This aligns with the Thai government’s broader strategy to attract foreign revenue and boost tourism,” he noted to AGB.
Timeline for Implementation
The proposed bill is currently pending approval from both parliament and the senate. If passed, it will require 90 days to be published in the Royal Gazette, followed by an additional 120 days for formal adoption into law.
Based on this timeline, the licenses for the first land-based casinos could realistically be issued by the fourth quarter of 2025, or more conservatively by the first quarter of 2026, coinciding with Thailand’s peak tourism season.
Despite the exclusion of regulated online gambling, the development signifies a positive step for the Thai gambling market, according to MacKay.
The iGaming expert believes it opens the door for further discussions on gambling regulation, fostering a more open and constructive dialogue around what has traditionally been a taboo subject in the “Land of Smiles.”
The introduction of regulated land-based casinos is seen as a significant step in this direction, with MacKay stating that it aims to create new employment opportunities while enhancing Thailand’s appeal as a global destination.
He highlighted recent government initiatives, such as easing visa requirements and the launch of the Destination Thailand Visa (DTV), as evidence of a commitment to fostering economic growth through tourism.
Thailand’s tourism sector, which saw more than 40 million visitors before the pandemic, is projected to return to between 37 and 38 million arrivals this year. The government hopes the new entertainment complexes will act as magnets for international tourists, further boosting the tourism sector and, by extension, the economy.
Proposed framework and monopoly concerns
The proposed legislation suggests establishing special designated areas for casinos in key tourist destinations like Phuket, Pattaya, Chiang Mai, and Bangkok. Each of these locations is expected to host one casino, with Bangkok set to have two.
MacKay expressed concerns about the implications of this framework, suggesting that “only established and powerful casino-resort operators will likely dominate these five initial licenses, effectively creating a monopoly.”
While MacKay views the move as a positive development for the gambling industry, he expressed disappointment over the government’s approach.
“It’s troubling to see the government treating gambling regulation primarily as a revenue-generating ‘cash cow’ rather than addressing the broader social implications of gambling,” he said. He highlighted that gambling remains a significant social issue in Thailand, with numerous associated problems affecting the population.
According to former Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra, each entertainment complex will create approximately 20,000 jobs, providing a major boost to the local economy.
Workers employed at these sites will be guaranteed a monthly wage of at least THB20,000 ($580), offering not only employment but also a stable income for many Thais.
Still, by focusing solely on land-based gambling, MacKay believes the government is missing a critical opportunity to lead in establishing a robust regulatory framework for online gambling.
“Thailand could have positioned itself as a regional leader by taking a more comprehensive approach,” he argued, especially in light of challenges faced by other jurisdictions, such as PAGCOR’s rollback on POGOs due to abuses by offshore operators.
International Game Technology (IGT), a leading player delivering entertaining and responsible gaming experiences worldwide, has announced that its subsidiary, IGT Global Services Limited, signed a 10-year contract with the national lottery of Luxembourg, Loterie Nationale.
Under the terms of the agreement, IGT will deploy its high-performing, player-centric OMNIA™ solution, including its cloud-based iLottery system and remote game server (“RGS”), an upgrade to the Lottery’s central gaming system, and new point-of-sale terminals and peripherals. This contract was awarded following a European public procurement procedure and is expected to run through 2036.
“IGT has been a trusted partner to Loterie Nationale for more than 20 years, supporting retail growth and digital evolution,” said Léon Losch, Loterie Nationale Director. “Upgrading our lottery and iLottery solutions with IGT’s advanced technology can pave the way for our continued sales growth, provide our players with best-in-class experiences and position us to continue our support of good causes.”
“Over the course of IGT’s longstanding partnership with Loterie Nationale, we’ve helped support the growth of its point-of-sale footprint, addition of self-service terminals in retail locations and launch of iLottery in the region,” said Jay Gendron, IGT Chief Operating Officer Global Lottery. “We look forward to continuing that momentum through our future-forward technology portfolio that gives Loterie Nationale access to top-performing IGT games, improved analytics, advanced responsible gaming tools and increased scalability.”
OMNIA is IGT’s integrated lottery solution, bringing together its leading retail and digital lottery solutions, ensuring centralized and consistent data and innovative solutions to modernize the retail playing experience. Developed to drive lottery innovation and profitability, OMNIA will provide Loterie Nationale with a full suite of intuitive, user-friendly applications, tools, and reporting capabilities.
As part of the agreement, IGT will also deliver newly updated Retailer Pro terminals, providing cutting-edge technology for high-volume retailers, along with GameTouch™ and GameTouch™ Draw S2 self-service lottery vending machines.
A natively integrated OMNIA component, IGT’s cloud-based iLottery system offers dynamic scalability, reduced time to market for system enhancements, and comprehensive responsible gaming features. IGT’s RGS platform allows access to IGT’s vast portfolio of digital instant games and content, spanning a variety of player-favorite themes, play styles, omnichannel games, popular licensed content, and award-winning progressive jackpot games.
As the global lottery market leader, IGT is the primary technology provider to 26 of the 46 lotteries in the U.S., eight of the world’s largest 10 lotteries and 16 of the world’s top 25 lotteries.
Greentube, the NOVOMATIC Digital Gaming and Entertainment division, enters a vibrant world of fruity rewards and golden opportunities with its latest slot endeavor, Fruit King Super Cash™.
Set across a 5×3 grid, colourful fruits, bells, bars and joker symbols adorn the reels, with plenty of delicious features, including the Stacked Joker Wilds and Cash Spins Feature, enriching the gaming experience, offering players the chance to score bountiful wins.
The Cash Spins feature resembles a classic hold & spin-style mechanic and is triggered by landing six or more gold coin symbols, awarding three free spins.
Any subsequent gold coins that land during the feature stick to the reels, resetting the spin counter back to three. Each coin carries either a prize value or a bonus. Collecting all 15 gold coins during the feature awards the coveted grand bonus of 5400x the bet, alongside all accumulated prizes.
Stacked Joker Wild symbols appear on reels two, three, four and five, substituting for all symbols except gold coins to enhance win potential. Sparkling coins are added to the riches on offer, carrying higher prize values for even bigger thrills.
The game is the latest addition to Greentube’s diverse and ever-growing portfolio, delivering fresh gameplay and delectable winning opportunities that continue to grab the attention of players globally.
Bernd Baumert, Director of Games Production and Operations at Greentube
Bernd Baumert, Director of Games Production and Operationsat Greentube, said: “With Fruit King Super Cash™, we’ve taken the charm of classic fruit slots and elevated it with exciting new features and enhanced win potential. This game offers a perfect balance of nostalgia and modern gameplay mechanics, ensuring players will be both entertained and rewarded. We’re excited to see this vibrant addition bring a splash of color to our portfolio and resonate with fans worldwide.”
