Ragasa sees Macau casinos close for 33 hours

After a 33-hour shutdown triggered by Ragasa, the year’s most powerful tropical cyclone, Macau’s casinos reopened early Thursday (Sept. 25) at 2 a.m. The last time casinos shut down due to a typhoon was during Typhoon Saola (2023), when all casinos in the city closed for nine hours.

Ahead of Super Typhoon Ragasa’s arrival, all casinos were mandated by the government to close when tropical cyclone Signal No. 8 was hoisted at 5 p.m. Tuesday, marking the first casino shutdown in Macau this year.

The Gaming Inspection and Coordination Bureau (DICJ) announced Monday, “given that Ragasa is expected to significantly impact Macau, the government has decided to close all casinos upon issuing a No. 8 typhoon signal.”

In the early hours of Wednesday (Sept. 24, 5:30 a.m.), Signal No. 10—the highest tropical cyclone warning—was hoisted by the Meteorological and Geophysical Bureau (SMG). The typhoon signal No. 10 was held for over ten hours by 4 p.m. Wednesday, the signal was downgraded to No. 8 and was scheduled for further reduction to Signal No. 3 at 11 p.m.

Following the improvement in weather conditions late on Wednesday, the government issued a directive signed by Chief Executive Sam Hou Fai and published in the official gazette (BO), authorizing the reopening of casinos city-wide.

The government’s decision to suspend gaming activities marks the fifth complete shutdown of casinos city-wide in history and the third mandated by the Civil Protection Operation Centre due to typhoons.

The most notable previous closure occurred in 2018 during Typhoon Mangkhut, which, like Ragasa, caused a 33-hour shutdown and resulted in significant losses for Macau’s casino operators.

For reference, Macau casino stocks dropped after Typhoon Mangkhut. At the time, reports indicated that the halt cost casinos, including Sands China Ltd. and Wynn Macau Ltd., as much as USD186 million (approximately MOP1.5 billion) in revenue.

Analysts are still assessing the economic impact of Ragasa’s citywide 33-hour casino closure.

Mocha Kuong Fat slot hall closure completed

Despite severe weather disruptions caused by Super Typhoon Ragasa, Mocha Kuong Fat, the slot parlor site owned by Melco Resorts & Entertainment Ltd, officially closed early hours Thursday (Sept. 25), the city’s Gaming Inspection and Coordination Bureau (DICJ) confirmed.

After the typhoon was downgraded to Signal No. 3 at 11 p.m. on September 24, the DICJ initiated the suspension process, overseeing the evacuation of the casino premises and other necessary activities.

In its statement yesterday, the DICJ wrote that it “proceeded with the respective suspension process” and that the casino closure “proceeded in an orderly manner”.