Good morning. The proposed MGM takeover is off the table. People Inc. has withdrawn its bid, leaving MGM Resorts’ board to press ahead with a standalone strategy that includes its China business and Osaka project. Macau’s near-term outlook is less clear: JP Morgan forecasts a 2 to 4 percent year-on-year decline in October casino revenue and says Golden Week alone will not settle the question of underlying demand. Meanwhile, Curaçao’s gaming regulator says someone used a false identity to access its licensing portal for roughly nine months. The investigation has yet to establish the full extent of the material obtained.
What you need to know
- People Inc. withdrew its MGM Resorts takeover bid after months of talks, while keeping a roughly 27% stake and interest in future deals.
- Macau’s October GGR could decline 2%–4% year-on-year, JP Morgan says, cautioning against overreading Golden Week performance.
- Curaçao’s gaming regulator says its licensing portal was accessed for nine months via an account registered under a false identity.
On the radar
- Osaka IR could need 1,645 foreign workers in third year: study.
- Sands China selects 24 businesses for Macau historic street program.
- Queensland to bring racing integrity watchdog under one authority.
- Walker Digital to integrate crypto payments into Perfect Pay casino tables.
- ACMA finds Palmerbet allowed self-excluded customers to keep betting.
- INSPIRE Entertainment Resort COO Wade Howk to leave after three years.
AGB Intelligence
M&A
MGM Resorts to remain standalone as People Inc. drops bid
After several months of talks, People Incorporated has dropped its attempt to take MGM Resorts private. MGM chairman Paul Salem said the company would pursue its existing strategy, pointing to its Las Vegas properties, BetMGM, MGM China and the Osaka integrated resort. People’s chairman Barry Diller said the elements needed to complete the proposed deal had not come together as hoped. His company continues to hold about 27 percent of MGM and remains interested in a possible strategic transaction.
Industry Updates
- Morpheus at City of Dreams earns Macau’s first Three MICHELIN Keys.
- IGT and Everi showcase next-gen casino floor integration at G2E 2026.
- ACT debuts ‘Fraud Rings’, an AI-powered tool to detect connected fraud.
Corporate Spotlight
How speed and localization strengthen market advantage: GR8_TECH
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AGBrief Editorial
The AGBrief Editorial Team is a group of contributors living around the world that are connected to Asia Gaming Brief. They are active members in pursuing the sources of our news, making them reliable and accurate for our readers.
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