Macau to begin third round of testing as cases rise to 261 Macau will kick off a third round of mass testing of its population on Monday as the number of confirmed Covid cases rises to 261. The government will also hand out rapid antigen tests and KN-95 masks. The city is currently undergoing the worst Covid outbreak since the beginning of the pandemic and almost all leisure facilities are closed, with the government urging residents to stay at home. The casinos, however, remain open, even though there is almost no visitation. Analysts are expecting near-zero revenue this month for the six operators and say the outlook into next month is also highly uncertain.

U.S. investment group, Blackstone, has completed its A$8.9 billion ($6.1 billion) acquisition of Crown Resorts, saying it aims to rebuild the Australian operator into an “iconic destination for travel.” 

Malaysia is still considering regulating online gambling and estimates that it’s losing about MYR2 billion ($454 million) a year in lost tax revenue.

Ainsworth Game Technology said its CEO Harald Neumann has been granted 2.8 million performance rights as a long-term incentive.

Pronet Gaming is to turn its attention to emerging markets in Asia following the unprecedented success that has allowed it to expedite its ambitious plans ahead of schedule.

Saipan based casino Imperial Pacific Holdings (IPI) recently announced that it has entered into an exclusive cooperation agreement with two third party operators to underwrite the leading of 250 hotel rooms and set up a shopping mall at the Imperial Palace resort. 

In response to the approval of the Macau operators “truly grateful” for the extension of the contracts, gaming law revisions, as they set the pathway towards a smooth transition ahead of the tender for the new concessions. All reiterate their readiness to participate in the tender process.

SJM Holdings said its creditors have agreed to refinance syndicated loan facilities worth up to HK$19 billion ($2.4 billion). The loans consist of a $9 billion term loan and a $10 billion revolving credit facility, the company said in a statement.

Failure to renew all of Macau’s six concessions would result in substantial risk to government finances due to the significant amount of tax they generate and how many people they employ, Moody’s said.

The Philippines leading audit body has urged the Philippines Amusement and Gaming Corp. (PAGCOR) to take urgent action to collect some PHP2.32 billion ($42.4 million) overdue taxes from offshore gaming companies.