The Macau Metro Monitor, January 15, 2013
GOVT ASKS FOR UNDERSTANDING ON CASINO SMOKING BAN macaubusiness.com
Chief Executive Fernando Chui Sai On said that while the the government is strictly enforcing the partial smoking ban in casinos they are still fine-tuning some of the rules. The partial smoking ban that took effect on January 1, allows casinos to have smoking areas in up to 50% of the gaming floor area. The rules do not set up a minimum ratio for the number of slots and tables to be included in smoking and non-smoking area.
PACKAGE TOURS UP BY 8.6% IN NOVEMBER macaubusiness.com
According to the Statistics and Consensus Service, visitor arrivals on package tours grew 8.6% YoY to 854,000 in November. Below are the statistics by origin:
- Mainland (643,000): +9.4%
- Taiwan (60,000): +26.4%
- South Korea (44,000): +59.6%
- HK (28,000): -25.2%
MAINLAND CUSTOMS CRACK DOWN ON 'SHUIKE' SMUGGLERS macaubusiness.com
In 2012 customs officers in Guangdong province cracked down on 9,741 'shuike' smuggling cases involving MOP1.72BN, which included 11 smuggling gangs. 'Shuike' refers to people who visit HK and Macau at least once daily to smuggle goods (electronics, milk powder, food, etc) from the two cities into the mainland. According to Luo On, an official of the Guangdong provincial government, “The growing number of shuike smugglers has affected the normal operation of checkpoints in Shenzhen and Zhuhai.”
MBS, RWS FINED FOR BREACHING SOCIAL SAFEGUARDS channelnewsasia.com
MBS and RWS were each fined by the CRA (Casino Regulatory Authority of Singapore). RWS was fined S$230,000 for the breach of social safeguard requirements during the period between November 1, 2011 and April 30, 2012. RWS also faced 3 fines on 3 additional breaches during the same timeframe: S$40,000 for failure to properly enforce valid entry levies on Singaporean citizens and permanent residents, S$40,000 for failure to prevent entry of 3 excluded persons, and S$20,000 for the admission of two minors.
MBS fined for breaching 3 social safeguards: S$35,000 for failure to properly enforce valid entry levies on Singaporean citizens and permanent residents, S$80,000 for failure to prevent entry of 6 excluded persons, and S$15,000 for the admission of a minor into its casino.
