Macau’s Secretary for Economy and Finance, Tai Kin Ip, gave an update on the ongoing satellite casino closures on Monday, noting that the transition for affected staff is moving steadily.
Step-by-Step Changes
So far, about 1,600 employees from six closed satellite casinos have already been reassigned to other properties run by their concessionaires, with six of Macau’s 11 satellite casinos having been shut down.
The list includes SJM’s Grandview, Legend Palace, Casino Casa Real, and Emperor Palace, as well as Galaxy’s Waldo and Melco’s Grand Dragon. Tai explained during a Policy Address debate that the government is managing the closures step by step.
“The 1,600 employees assigned by concessionaires to the six currently closed satellite casinos have smoothly returned to their respective concessionaires,” he said.
Looking ahead, the remaining four satellite casinos are set to close soon, one at the end of November and three in December. This will further affect around 3,200 employees.
Tai noted that the government has set up dedicated teams and hotlines prepared to help staff navigate the transition. So far, 29 consultation cases have been received. However, none of them required additional government intervention.
“Moving forward, the government will actively engage with the operators of satellite casinos and their hired staff to ensure the transition arrangements proceed smoothly and systematically, with the employees transitioning to the concessionaires,” he added.
Five Satellite Casinos, Still Operating
Currently, five satellite casinos remain open in Macau. SJM announced last week it would acquire L’Arc on the peninsula for HK$1.75 billion (US$225 million) while dropping plans to buy Ponte 16, which will close on 28 November.
The other operational casinos are Landmark, Kam Pek Paradise, and Fortuna, with the latter scheduled to cease operations on December 10.
Tai’s comments highlight the government’s careful approach, focusing on minimizing disruption to employees as it moves through the final stages of the satellite casino closures.