Macau junket tally halves

The Standard
 
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Macau's gaming regulator yesterday said that the number of junkets or gaming promoters nearly halved over the past 12 months and Suncity (1383) is no longer on the list.

The total number of licensed casino operators sank to a record low, to 46 this year from 85 in January 2021, the Gaming Inspection and Coordination Bureau said. Major operators on the latest list include Tak Chun, Meg-Star International and Golden Group.

Suncity chairman Alvin Chau Cheok-wa was arrested by Macau police on November 2021, for allegedly founding a cross-border gambling syndicate, arranging Chinese nationals to gamble at his overseas casinos illegally, and taking part in cross-border online gambling activities.

Earlier this month, Macau's Legislative Assembly proposed changes on the city's gambling sector. If approved, casino operators would no longer have dedicated junket rooms, and revenue sharing arrangements between the two parties would be prohibited.