The Macau Metro Monitor, February 28, 2012
WYNN MAY HAVE BREACHED PRIVACY LAW Macau Daily Times
Gaming operator Wynn Macau Ltd. may have breached the local privacy law by publicly disclosing personal information of hotel guests as part of the Freeh report on removed director Kazuo Okada. Ben Lee, the former vice president of casino marketing at Venetian Macau, says the move may scare off some VIP promoters.
The disclosure might have breached Macau’s personal data protection law, which came into effect in 2006. The law states that personal data can only be “collected for specific, explicit and legitimate purposes (…) and it cannot later be used in a manner incompatible with those purposes”. The Macau law also restricts the transfer of personal data outside of the territory, stressing that it can only be done if the Office for Personal Data Protection (GPDP) decides that “the legal system [of that country or territory] to where it [data] is transferred ensures an adequate level of protection”. If a company is found guilty of breaching the privacy law then it could be slapped with a fine between MOP 10,000 and 100,000. Moreover the person found responsible could face a one-year jail term or a 120-day fine.
LAS VEGAS SANDS CEO ADELSON: COMPLIMENTARY HOTEL ROOMS COMMON IN GAMBLING INDUSTRY WSJ
"Giving comps to hotel rooms is endemic throughout the entire industry," Adelson said. "I think by getting something in the FCPA (the U.S. Foreign Corrupt Practices Act) for a hotel room doesn't mean you're going to buy that person's allegiance and buy them to do what you want for billions of dollars worth of anything. But that's the way the law is,"
Adelson said he does not think that he will gain from Okada and Wynn's feud in Japan. "Number one, I don't believe Okada's position in Japan gave Wynn an advantage because from what I've heard from government people they want to separate casinos from pachinko - either the manufacturers or the operations - so they want to keep the two separate. I've been told they (Japanese government officials) won't consider anyone for a casino that has an interest in either manufacturing or operating pachinko."
NEW SYDNEY CASINO TO ATTRACT ASIAN TOURISTS Daily Telegraph
The proposed new casino at Barangaroo would be part of a two-pronged approach by tycoon James Packer to market Sydney as a major destination to well-heeled Asian tourists. It is understood the casino component of Packer's proposed $1 billion hotel and entertainment complex would be modeled on the exclusive Mahogany Room at Melbourne's Crown Casino.
Packer is looking to build the new casino/hotel through his Crown Group if he can win control of Echo Entertainment - the operator of The Star in Pyrmont - after raising his stake from 4.9% to 10%. Sources said last night the new casino would have far less tables than The Star, but would cater largely to a VIP clientele.
The Barangaroo complex would have no poker machines, but given that Echo's licence has no restriction on the number of gaming tables, it is believed the proposed hotel/casino would concentrate on table games such as baccarat.