#MACAU CASINO TYCOON ALVIN CHAU LICENSE#
Now the license period has run out and there has to be a decision on what to do about those licenses. When Macau opened up to foreign investment 20 years ago via its gaming industry, it issued 20 year gaming licenses to six gaming operators. The junket market in Macau is now nearly non-existent going into 2022 and that is a big blow to casino operators considering that the VIP players that junket operators brought in from China were the source for $3 billion of annual revenue, which is a big cut from potential earnings.Īnother big factor that can potentially hurt the market is the renewing of gaming licenses which should take place in the middle of the year. However, the arrest of Alvin Chau, the head of the biggest junket operator in Macau made it clear that China was also going to target junket operators in Macau. Initially, many believed that this new rule change would only apply to foreign locations and not to Macau. Beijing has made it very clear in 2021 that it is illegal for anyone to encourage or facilitate gambling overseas by Chinese nationals. The biggest problem on the horizon for Macau’s gaming operators is the Chinese government. This includes China’s crack down on junket operators and the expiry of gaming licenses this year. Macau’s gaming market is facing a number of challenges in 2022. Macau, the biggest gambling hub in the world has dominated the gaming market for well over a decade but that dominance is now under threat.