The Macau Metro Monitor, November 27, 2012

FIVE SLOT PARLOURS TO BE RELOCATED Macau Business

Five slot parlours must either relocate or shut down under the new slot machine rules that took effect today.  Among the slot parlours affected, are the Yat Yuen Canidrome Slot Lounge and the Treasure Hunt Slot Lounge, both operated by SJM. The Mocha Lan Kwai Fong, Mocha Marina Plaza and Mocha Hotel Taipa Best Western clubs, operated by Mocha Clubs (MPEL), are the other three slot parlours impacted by the new rules.

The new rules stipulate that slot parlours can only be located inside five-star hotels, in non-residential buildings located within a 500-metre range of a casino or within a resort “not integrated in a densely populated area”.  The non-compliant slot parlours have one year to make the needed changes.  Angela Leong On Kei, executive director of SJM said that the gaming operator is studying new locations for its affected slot parlours.

EMPLOYMENT SURVEY FOR AUGUST-OCTOBER 2012 DSEC

The unemployment rate for August-October 2012 declined further to 1.9%, down by 0.1% point from the previous period (July-September).  In August-October 2012, total labor force was 353,300 and the labor force participation rate stood at 72.3%. Total employment reached 346,600, an increase of 2,400 over the previous period.