Operator News
China – Macau’s table reopening creeping up to 50 per cent
By Phil - 11 March 2020
Macau’s Gaming Inspection and Coordination Bureau has confirmed that whilst visitation may still be well down for some time, a total of 38 Macau casinos have now re-opened with 46 per cent of the region’s baccarat tables now in operation.
Macau is receiving around 2,000 daily visitors, a fall of around 98 per cent year-on-year. Currently 3,100 of Macau’s total of 6,739 gaming tables are open following the 15-day closure. Hygiene restrictions include leaving enough space between each table to avoid mass gathering, limiting the number of people allowed to sit at any one gaming table to four and making sure everyone on the casino floor wears a face mask.
The DICJ has so far found 28 violations of those restrictions since the resumption of casinos, including guests gathering, guests not wearing masks and inadequate spacing between tables and seats.
JP Morgan analyst DS Kim said: “Business will likely remain extremely slow anyway amidst the restrictions on visas and transportation. Most Chinese players are probably unable or unwilling to travel at this point.”
