Policy Address | Economy and Finance: Interim review of gaming concessionaires this year

The Secretary for Economy and Finance, Lionel Leong, has confirmed that the gaming industry needs a “check-up” in order to allow for the assessment of casino operators’ performance over the past ten years.
Mr Leong reaffirmed that the government will develop an interim review of the performances of gaming concessionaires this year, as he presented his cabinet’s action plan for 2015 at yesterday’s Legislative Assembly (AL) plenary meeting.
As the current gaming concession contracts are due to expire between 2020 and 2022, the government announced last year that it would start reviewing the operators’ work this year.
Through the interim reviewing of gaming contracts, Mr Leong said, the performance of each gaming operator will be assessed based on eight main areas.
For now, the government will be studying: the extent to which operators have influenced Macau’s society; whether or not operators have introduced non-gaming elements and these services’ respective development; the percentage of non-gaming and gaming components; job creation and career progress opportunities afforded to locals; and the company’s social responsibility programs, among others.
The secretary stressed that negotiations for the renewal of gaming concession contracts will be based on this mid-term review of gaming companies’ performance. This will also assist in the creation of a medium- to long-term plan for the development of Macau’s gaming industry, Mr Leong added.
“Based on these eight areas, we will draw a conclusion on the effects of the gaming industry development, and see whether goals [that had been] set out were achieved,” the Secretary said.
Mr Leong described the interim review of gaming contracts as a “a check-up.” “After the liberalization [of the gaming market], we need to conduct a proper review of the gaming operator’s work, so that we know how to intervene and improve their performance,” he reiterated.
He added that, “people do not make check-ups only when they’re sick, it’s also to know if they are ill. With this review, we will help [gaming] companies to do a ‘check-up’ and realize their shortcomings, and [to find out] what can they do to rectify those shortcomings.”
Other measures announced for the gaming industry include the maintenance of a three percent cap on gaming table growth in the next ten years (counting as of 2013).
The government will also be looking into improving responsible gaming programs, as well as looking to prevent pathological gambling and problem gambling, according to Mr Leong.
He also pledged to tackle the spread of gaming-related problems in residential areas, while promoting the relocation of gaming arcades to locations outside residential areas.
Authorities will also urge gaming operators to promote responsible gaming programs, in a bid to curb the negative impact of the gaming industry in Macau’s society.
Lawmakers had asked how the government plans to review the performance of gaming concessions. Legislator Angela Leong called on the government to listen to the opinions of Macau’s population and the gambling sector while moving forward with the interim review.
Mr Leong said that the government is hoping to hear the opinions of both the gambling sector and Macau citizens within this year.

specialized group to study domestic rental market

The government is setting up a specialized group to study the city’s real estate market. This specialised group will also focus on domestic rental legislation, the Lionel Leong, said. Asked by lawmakers to provide details on the measures that his cabinet will implement to help small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) overcome challenges, Mr Leong acknowledged that these companies are often faced with skyrocketing rents. “The government created a specialized group to study the real estate sector. This group will then suggest [the implementation of measures] to the government,” he stressed.  The secretary added that, “we know there are many issues related to rental [contracts] and we have heard voices in society calling for a revision or the outlining of a new law. We have sector representatives in this working group, and we will be promoting the healthy development of the real estate market.”