Macau’s Last 11 Satellite Casinos to Cease Operations by End of 2025, Government Confirms

Macau will see the closure of its final 11 satellite casinos by December 31st, 2025, as confirmed during a government press conference, bringing an end to a significant chapter in the city’s gaming history. The closures also include three Mocha Club slot lounges managed by Melco Resorts. Despite the scale of the move, officials have downplayed any notable effect on gross gaming revenue (GGR) projections for 2025.

At the briefing, Secretary for Administration and Justice André Cheong clarified that the closures were initiated by the three involved gaming concessionaires — SJM Resorts, Melco Resorts, and Galaxy — and not through any directive from the government. “It is a commercial decision, and they decided to close the properties,” Cheong stated. “We don’t believe it will have an effective impact on GGR, but on the other hand, it will have a positive impact on their operations.”

The government had already revised its GGR forecast downward by MOP12 billion (approximately $1.5 billion) in the 2025 budget proposal, though this reduction was primarily attributed to changing consumer behavior among mainland Chinese visitors rather than the impending casino closures.

These shutdowns precede the conclusion of the three-year transitional window granted under Macau’s revised gaming law (Law 7/2022). This period, ending in December 2025, permitted satellite casinos — those operating in third-party-owned buildings — to remain active. After the deadline, revenue-sharing between casino operators and property owners will no longer be permitted under the law.

Director of the Gaming Inspection and Coordination Bureau (DICJ), Ng Wai Han, confirmed that the affected satellite casinos collectively host about 480 gaming tables and 270 slot machines. Properties slated for closure include SJM Resorts’ Casino Grandview, Casino Fortuna, and Casino Legend Palace, alongside Melco Resorts’ Casino Grand Dragon and Galaxy’s Casino Waldo.

The closures were announced by the gaming operators in advance of the government’s press conference. Melco will also be shuttering three of its six Mocha Club slot parlors — Grand Dragon, Royal, and Kuong Fat — before the year’s end. The other three outlets will continue operations under third-party management arrangements.

Meanwhile, SJM Resorts is exploring the possibility of acquiring and directly managing the casino operations of Casino Ponte 16 and Casino Le Royal Arc. “SJM wants to acquire two hotels (casinos). If they will continue operating, it is a commercial decision by SJM,” Cheong commented.

Though the official cutoff date is December 31st, no earlier closure dates have been released. However, Cheong emphasized that authorities moved swiftly to publicize the news after the concessionaires reached their decisions. “Since it impacts a large number of workers, the minute we got a decision, we decided to announce it so a resolution on the workers can be reached as early as possible,” he said.

According to the Labor Affairs Bureau (DSAL), approximately 400 nonresident employees and 5,600 local workers are currently employed by the satellite casinos — with 4,800 hired directly by the gaming operators and 800 working for the properties.

DSAL Director Chan Un Tong detailed efforts to assist displaced staff. “We have created a work committee and found many job offering opportunities that can be directed to these workers. We will also organize job matching sessions with the six gaming operators,” he stated. Cheong added, “The thing we care about the most is that those workers do not pass by a period of unemployment between any changes.”

Authorities acknowledged the potential economic ripple effects on surrounding small businesses. Secretary for Economy and Finance Tai Kin Ip reported that inspections identified around 320 small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) employing about 800 people in the vicinity of the affected casinos. “Maybe half of the stores will be impacted, especially pawnshops, jewelry stores, or tobacco, liquor stores, and restaurants. But maybe 70 percent will not be impacted directly, because they depend mostly on tourists,” Tai said.

To mitigate financial strain, Tai explained that the Monetary Authority of Macau (AMCM) is coordinating with local banks to help SMEs manage any credit-related challenges. “A challenge but an opportunity for renewal,” is how he framed the evolving economic landscape. The government intends to assist businesses that aim to remain open despite the closures.

Tai also addressed concerns regarding banking sector exposure, particularly in terms of employee mortgages, noting that, “Mortgages are only 1 percent of the bank activities so there is not much risk for the sector. The risk supervising department also assessed that the risks are not high.”

Reinforcing the non-interventionist stance of the government, Cheong reiterated, “The three gaming operators have already made their decision […] they have needed to think about whether it has a good contribution to their revenue.”

By fLEXI tEAM