Macau’s Casino Regulator Head is Now New Economic and Finance Secretary 

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The appointment makes Ng Wai Han Secretary for Economy and Finance, replacing Tai Kin Ip

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Key Takeaways:

  • Ng Wai Han transitions from gaming regulator to Secretary for Economy and Finance
  • Appointment emphasizes Macau’s move towards economic diversification
  • Focus on strengthening resilience and aligning with China’s Five-Year Plan

Ng Wai Han, who led Macau’s casino regulator, has been moved into one of the city’s most powerful economic posts, according to Inside Asian Gaming. 

The appointment makes her Secretary for Economy and Finance, replacing Tai Kin Ip. It places her in charge of gaming, tourism-linked development, financial services, labor, consumer protection, taxation and broader economic policy.

A Pivotal Shift in Macau’s Policy Team

The move is notable for the gaming sector because Ng had only been running the Gaming Inspection and Coordination Bureau since May 2025. 

Her appointment to that role was renewed in May for another year, with the government saying at the time that she had shown civic integrity and “professional competence”, per GGRAsia. 

The latest decision was formally approved on June 10 and later published in the official gazette. The government has not yet said who will replace her at the DICJ or when she will take over her new portfolio.

Focus turns to Diversification

Ng’s swearing-in on June 15 underscores the administration’s effort to align Macau’s financial policy with its diversification agenda. 

At the ceremony, she said her team would work to strengthen economic resilience, advance diversification and support planning tied to the country’s 15th Five-Year Plan and Macau’s own third five-year plan. 

For gaming executives, the appointment suggests continuity on regulation, but also a tighter link between casino oversight and the city’s wider economic strategy.

Macau’s gaming revenue was up 15.9% year-on-year. The first-quarter numbers broadly match Macau’s 2026 budget assumptions, which call for total fiscal revenue of MOP114.29 billion (US$14.23 million), including about MOP92.53 billion (US$11.52 million) from gaming.