Despite record revenues over the past six months for Macau casinos, leading to a 10 percent increase for 2009 over 2008, a report in the South China Morning Post contends that the leaders of the Chinese central government are not considering any measures that could slow that explosive growth. In the past, the government has imposed visa restrictions between Macau and its most lucrative mainland markets to suppress the growth in gaming revenues and subsequent social problems that have accompanied them.

But the real reason for optimism in Macau is that the central government has signaled it will continue to stimulate the economy and not crack down on the money supply, the fuel that runs the SAR's gaming halls.

And apparently no new visa restrictions are imminent either. The dreaded cutbacks limit visits from surrounding provinces to once every two or three months, rather than once a month. 

By GGB Staff

Staff writers for Global Gaming Business magazine. Las Vegas, Nevada.