Image by Izuddin Helmi Adnan

Macau Is About To Focus On International Sports

Article by : Helen Dec 8, 2020

• 
• 

Updated: Aug 10, 2022

Macau has always been considered one of the most popular tourist destinations and one of the most popular spots for casino enthusiasts. Starting from 2021, Macau will focus on the industry that may compete with gambling when it comes to popularity: on international sports events. According to the recently established agreement between the Macau authorities and 6 major gambling venues that are licensed and located in the city, much more resources will now be devoted to attracting sports fans to the city. The 6 gambling properties are about to hold a major sports event every single month during the next year.

Bringing international sports events to Macau is the top-priority goal for the next year.

More than that, he said that each licensee is already briefed about the main statements of the agreement and is ready to host or to be a sponsor for an international sports event twice a year, which will bring 12 sports events to Macau in 2021. In turn, the licensees gave positive feedback on this plan so that they are ready to host such major events as the World Table Tennis Championships starting from the end of this year.

As of now, it’s still not clear which exact events will be held throughout the next year in Macau. However, it is rumored that the Secretary for Social Affairs and Culture for Macau, Elsie Ao Leong U, has already prepared a list of the events that can be potentially held by the licensees next year. Before this list is revealed, Ho Iat Seng will have to sign it off since he has the last word on which events should be brought to the city. What adds complexity to the current plan is that the still-ongoing COVID-19 pandemic could make adjustments to the potential schedule at any time.

Realizing all the risks related to the pandemic, Ho believes that hosting international sports events will serve Macau’s interests. He added that Elsie Ao Leong U is already waiting for his confirmation, but this is not an easy decision considering the current situation. The easiest way would be to abandon the upcoming sports events, but this is not the way out Macau is looking for. Cancelation of the events won’t provide any positive effect for the city, which is why Ho Iat Seng should carefully analyze the potential schedule and polish it before making any announcements.

It won’t be the first time Macau holds massive sports events. It already has experience hosting the Macau Grand Prix event, which was even held in 2020, despite the pandemic and lockdowns. According to the official data, more than 50,000 spectators were reported during this event. Anyway, Ho should do a great job at making the schedule as flexible as possible to be able to adapt to the pandemic situation and remain one of the most popular tourist destinations where one can find different types of activities.

The government may be able to propose more suitable conditions and requirements in normal times, but right now, they might struggle to gain any positive responses from gaming operators.

Macau has no reason to refuse to host international sports events, as its gambling industry is already suffering from the COVID-19 impact, and there are still many questions about how it will recover. According to Macau’s leaders, all scheduled casino tenders remain in place so far, but the pandemic is likely to change the plans. In the best-case scenario, the tender processes will be simply delayed.

Related articles

1. Macau Vaccines Come Too Late To Save It From Another Bummer
2. Tak Chun to Open Its VIP Gaming Club at Revamped Londoner Macau
3. Macau Casinos’ January Revenues Are in Line with the Slow Rebound Expectations
4. Macau’s December Hotel Occupancy at Its Highest Since January 2020
5. Macau’s Mass Market Segment on the Path to a Faster Recovery than VIP
6. The Londoner Macau Opens for Chinese New Year
7. Sanford Bernstein Forecasts Macau Recovery In Late 2021, Rebound in 2022
8. Four Macau Casino Operators Please Their Employees With Early Year Bonuses
9. Macau Is Ready To Open Its Casinos And Is Positive On Increasing Tourist Arrivals
10. Morgan Stanley Does Not Share Enthusiasm Over Macau’s GGR Recovery
11. Macau Casino Industry to Continue Its Recovery in 2021, But It Might Take Years to Bounce Back
12. Macau Poised to Post 80 Percent Revenue Reduction
13. The Londoner Macau to Partly Open in February
14. Macquarie: Macau Is Likely to Extend Existing Concessions Beyond Mid-2022
15. Macau Government Expects a 71% Year-on-Year Drop in Gaming Tax Revenues in 2020
16. When Macau Gets The Vaccine And How The Gaming Stocks Respond To This News
17. Macau & Digital Yuan: Could It Be the Dawn of a New Era for Macanese Casinos?
18. The Londoner Hotel in Macau May Start Welcoming Guests in February 2021
19. With the Casino Industry in a Crisis Mode, Macau’s Gaming-Related Crime Is in Decline, Too
20. Bernstein Research: Premium Mass Gamblers Could Be the Key to Macau’s Casino Industry Recovery
21. Macau Legend Development Sold A Chunk Of Holdings To Tak Chun Group
22. What Should Be Done Before New Macau Gambling Law Adoption
23. How Covid-19 Impacts Macau’s Revenues
24. The Implications Of The American Choice On Macau
25. Pandemic Forces Macau Gaming To Pivot Or Suffer
26. Macau 2022 Tenders Raise Uncertainty As Former Advisors Chime On The Deadline
27. Macau: SJM Holdings to Emerge As Market Leader Post-COVID
28. Macau's The 13 Leaps Out Of The Frying-Pan Into The Fire
29. Macau Faced Some Mixed Blessing: Casinos On, Revenue Off
30. Unnerving Forecast: Macau And Singapore Expect Staff Cuts
31. Macau Casino Unemployment Rate Rises Sharply
32. Macau Casinos are Bleeding and Seeking Hopium as COVID-19 Takes Its Toll
33. Macau SAR China