Stock slump for casinos after free snack ban

Shares of Macau casino stocks generally slumped Wednesday after reports the government had asked casinos to cease providing complimentary snacks to patrons, according to a research report from Morgan Stanley.

The financial firm believes this new measure could affect overall casino footfall, though the impact on gross gaming revenue (GGR) is expected to be minimal.

This is because the policy primarily aims to discourage non-gambling tourists from taking advantage of the free food offerings, while regular gamblers will still be able to easily obtain complimentary snacks.

“The new measure mainly targets preventing non-gambling visitors from enjoying free snacks in the casinos, while gamblers can still easily obtain the complimentary refreshments,” the Morgan Stanley report stated.

The Macau government has not yet issued an official statement on the reported measure, but industry analysts believe it is part of the region’s efforts to promote responsible gambling and streamline casino operations.

Several readers told the Times that they have observed on a casino floor Wednesday that certain food and drinks were exclusively available to VIP card holders, in contrast to the past when they were accessible to all, including non-VIP card holders.

A catering company employee also noted a significant decrease in orders from a gaming operator who previously purchased various pastries and bread from the company.