THE MACAU METRO MONITOR, SEPTEMBER 30, 2013
PUBLIC SERVANTS WHO FREQUENT S'PORE CASINOS MUST DECLARE VISITS WITHIN SEVEN DAYS Strait Times
From Tuesday, all public servants will have to declare their visits to local casinos if they go more than four times a month or if they purchase an annual pass. The declaration must be made within seven days, said Singapore's Public Service Division (PSD) on Monday.
For officers "whose misconduct will have significant reputational risk to the Public Service," every visit to a casino must be declared to their superiors, it added, but did not specify who would be subject to this more stringent rule. The new regulations come in the wake of several high-profile cases of misconduct by top public servants.
HO SEEKS JAPAN CASINO AS DEVELOPMENT LIMITS LOOM IN MACAU Bloomberg
Lawrence Ho plans to invest more than $5 billion in Japan if MPEL receives permission to build a casino there as he sees constraints on development at home. “We still have the most eggs in the Macau basket. Given the Macau government and the Chinese government want to control the growth rate, the company is seeking other opportunities outside the city. Macau is a small place. As much as I want to build a theme park, we just don’t have the land to do it....The potential is huge. If Japan opens up and allows integrated resorts in Tokyo, Osaka, the market could easily be in excess of $10 billion to $15 billion or more,” said Ho. Ho adds that he has been lobbying multiple cabinet members in Japan for the legalization of casinos. He sees “significant” non-gaming revenue for the country because “there’s so much to do, so much to see. Japan has a rich culture,” the executive said.
Ho plans to build Japan casino resorts, preferably in Tokyo and Osaka, through Melco Crown. WYNN, MGM, LVS, and CZR are also seeking expansion opportunities in Japan as Tokyo’s selection to host the 2020 Olympics boosts confidence the government will legalize casinos.
Ho expects casino revenues in Macau will grow at least 10% in 2014 as the global economy improves.