Casino Stocks Crash as Macau Considers Tighter Regulations
Macau's Secretary for Economy and Finance announced a 45-day consultation period for the gambling industry. The review will look at tightening restrictions on casino operators and appointing government supervisors.
Macau is the only region in China where gambling is legal. The Macau government's recent announcement has increased the risk of casino stocks. New anti-trust and internet regulations have stymied China's largest tech companies.
US casinos are anticipating growth in the near term due to the expansion of legalized sports betting. Sports betting is now legal in roughly half of the states in US. North Carolina passed a bill to legalize sports gambling last month. Ohio is hoping to pass its sports betting bill later this fall.