Macau Gets a Pandemic Makeover: Casinos Stay Open, COVID‑Testing Hits the Big Commission
In the glitter‑glamorous city that’s more famous for slot machines than for sunshine, the government’s “zero‑COVID” game took a new twist on Monday. All 600,000 residents—yes, the entire population—were sifted through a massive testing blitz that started on June 20. The toughest bit? Dozens of locally transmitted cases were uncovered over the weekend, prompting a totally fresh approach.
Closed Shops, Open Casinos
While restaurants are on the lunch‑time bench (no dine‑in), and the border is locked tighter than a casino’s VIP lounge, the bin cascades actually stay lit. Spam‑spin must be halted for now, but the main decks at those velvet‑roofed halls will stay open, which is a relief for folks who think casinos can’t break a health crisis.
Stock Melt‑Down
- Sands China fell over 8 % – the biggest drop since mid‑March.
- MGM China, Wynn Macau, Galaxy Entertainment, Melco and SJM Holdings also slipped between 4 % and 7 %.
It’s a tough bump because casinos are the lifeblood of Macau’s economy—over 80 % of all revenue comes from those gaming tables. Most people in the city bar the casino industry are either directly or indirectly tied to the casino business.
Why the Panic?
Macau’s latest outbreak came out of nowhere, quick‑fire, and the origin remains a mystery. Chief Executive Ho Lat Seng blasted the news (in a grand declaration on the government’s website), saying the spread was “rapid” and that they have no idea where it began.
This is no small matter; Macau was last on a coronavirus check in October. Meanwhile, Hong Kong has bounced through a gigantic wave, swallowing over a million confirmed cases and 9,000 deaths, flooding hospitals and spreading the pressure across all public services.
Upward Outlook
Hong Kong has seen over 1,000 new cases a day in the last week. Officials, however, say they won’t tighten restrictions further since the stress on medical services hasn’t surged. Macau, on the other hand, only has one public hospital. And that single facility is already stretched thin every day.
The government’s plan to test the entire population while still keeping the border open with mainland China (especially the neighboring city of Zhuhai, where many Macau residents live and work) is a bit of a balancing act. China hasn’t opened its borders to Hong Kong (the financial hub remains somewhat cut off).
Looking Ahead
During this week, Macau’s lawmakers are set to approve an amended gaming law. This new legislation will determine the rules that multimillion‑dollar casino operators must follow to keep turning the tables over.
“Depending on how quickly Macau can stop the newest outbreak, there could be a delay in finalising the updated gaming law and the subsequent concession tender process,” zips Vitaly Umansky of Sanford C Bernstein.
