Macau SLOT concession renewed for another year

Local sole sports betting concessionaire Macau Slot Co. Ltd. has seen its concession renewed for another year, with the government’s official gazette publishing the concession contract yesterday.

The company, known as Macau SLOT, is the only company in Macau authorized to run instant lotteries and offer betting on football and basketball events. However, the concession, as in the last two renewals, is granted on a non-exclusive basis.

The previous contract expired early this month, with the new contract taking effect from June 6, 2026, until June 5, 2027.

The company operated under an exclusive regime until 2021, when its concession was renewed for three years (until 2024) but, this time, on a non-exclusive basis. Despite legal grounds for competitors to enter the market, Macau SLOT remains the sole operator of these activities to date.

As it had done a year ago, the government noted that the concession extension was granted on the condition that the operator prioritize hiring local residents and progressively replace its non-resident workforce.

Last year, the clause stated that the company would gradually reduce the number of non-resident workers. This time, however, the clause was amended to state: “Macau Slot Co. Ltd. shall prioritize the recruitment of local employees and actively cooperate with the Macau SAR Government to recruit and employ local workers through on-the-job training and compliance with government labor policies.”

The amendment suggests that the company has already fulfilled the terms of the previous agreement to reduce the number of non-resident workers to 26 by March this year. However, this has not been clearly confirmed.

The contract renewal is particularly relevant at this time, with the start of the FIFA World Cup 2026 today, which runs until July 20 (Macau time).

Despite relatively low activity, Macau SLOT recorded a profit of MOP130 million in 2024, up 5.5% from 2023. The results for 2025 are not yet public.