Coutinho: Gaming to develop in ‘more normal way’

Asked if he thinks that the better-than-e­xpected figures for July indicate a lasting recovery, lawmaker Pereira Coutinho stated that the future of Macau’s gaming industry looks positive as both the mass market and the VIP segment continue to develop “in a more normal way.”
“As long as we are still making [a] profit, as long as we are still three times [bigger in gaming revenue] than Las Vegas, and we remain number one in terms of revenue from gaming, we will continue to be safe in Macau,” he told Bloomberg Television in an interview.
“For the past few years, the Macau people have been crying out for a more stable economy, and not [such fast-paced] development that leads to social problems,” said Coutinho. “That’s why the government is taking into consideration the Macau people overall.”
He also said that the government are “doing their best,” however could not be fully responsible for any downturn or recovery as “the control in the end belongs to the Central Government.”
Macau’s gaming future is overall positive as the MSAR is uniquely placed for the Chinese market, being close to mainland China, but also having the ability to make mainland tourists feel “comfortable” in the city, he added.