China ajuda Macau, Singapura (e outros)?
jan25
As many as 610 million entries and exists across mainland China’s borders were logged last year, with over 41 per cent of them made by Hong Kong, Macau, and Taiwan residents.
The latest figure – up 43.9 per cent on the previous year – was provided by the National Immigration Administration on Tuesday.
When it came to movements involving foreign passport holders, the number was 64.88 million.
The authorities said that they issued nearly 2.6 million foreign visas – up by 52.3 per cent year on year.
Visa-free entries by foreigners reached around 20 million, more than double the number logged the previous year.
Mainland China has so far achieved full visa exemption with 26 countries. It has also unilaterally granted visa-free entry to 38 countries, including France and Germany, and implemented transit visa-free policies for 54 countries.
Furthermore, China has signed mutual visa exemption agreements with 157 countries and regions.
Last month, the country announced a relaxation of its visa-free transit policy, extending the allowed stay for eligible foreign travellers from 72 and 144 hours previously to 240 hours, or 10 days.
https://www.macaubusiness.com/2024-china-border-crossings-hits-610-mln-41-pct-by-hk-macau-taiwan/
jan25
Nova política de vistos facilita a entrada em Macau para quem resida em Zhuhai. As autoridades esperam um aumento de 20 mil pessoas a atravessarem diariamente a fronteira; movimento que pode dar novo impulso ao comércio local
Desde o início deste ano, residentes de Zhuhai passaram a poder solicitar um visto que lhes permite entrar em Macau uma vez por semana; com cada estadia limitada a um máximo de sete dias. O visto é válido por um ano e não requer o tempo de espera antes de poderem retornar a Macau. Anteriormente, residentes de Zhuhai podiam apenas entrar uma vez a cada dois meses; sendo obrigados a pedir um visto para esse efeito. Os residentes na restante província de Guangdong podiam obter vistos de entrada apenas uma vez a cada três meses.
Segundo a Polícia de Segurança Pública (PSP), a nova política deve trazer um acréscimo de 20 mil pessoas por dia, a partir de Zhuhai e Hengqin; aumento significativo no tráfego fronteiriço. No primeiro dia após a entrada em vigor desta nova política – 1 de janeiro – mais de 3.200 residentes de Zhuhai e Hengqin cruzaram as fronteiras para o lado de Macau. Segundo dados da PSP, aproximadamente 2.500 dos novos titulares de vistos eram de Zhuhai, enquanto cerca de 700 eram da área vizinha de Hengqin.
Sun, profissional em indústrias culturais, e residente de Zhuhai, explica ao PLATAFORMA que agora tem “mais liberdade para viajar e assistir a eventos culturais em Macau”, sem ter de se preocupar tanto com as restrições. Com os limites anteriores, preferia “guardar” o seu visto bimensal para “eventos de maior renome”. A profissão de Sun depende muito do networking realizado em eventos culturais, tais como exposições de artes ou cinema, sendo que esta nova política lhe permite participar em mais eventos e expandir a sua rede de contactos.
Inserida numa série de medidas recentemente adotadas para facilitar movimentos transfronteiriços, esta abertura tenta também melhorar a situação económica das PME em Macau – até ao momento têm sofrido com o movimento contrário. A tendência tem sido o consumo de residentes de Macau em Zuhai, onde os preços são mais baixos e a oferta mais variada. As autoridades policiais estão a preparar efetivos contando com o aumento do fluxo fronteiriço; e a indústria turística conta acomodar uma onda de novos titulares de vistos em Macau; em especial já durante os feriados do Ano Novo Chinês.
Zhuhai representa mais de 26 por cento dos visitantes da província de Guangdong. Num relatório recente da corretora Seaport, o analista Vitaly Umansky reconhece que a abertura nos vistos é um estímulo à indústria local dado pelo do Governo Central: “A China expandiu várias políticas de vistos para visitantes do Continente, incluindo tempos de processamento mais rápidos e melhores procedimentos para vistos de negócios; expansão das cidades incluídas no plano de vistos individuais; múltiplas entradas para grupos de hóspedes em hotéis que ficam em Hengqin; e para convenções”, comenta Umansky. Estas medidas, diz o analista, terão impacto positivo na economia de Macau, já em 2025.
O diretor do Centro de Investigação de Estudos Populacionais da Universidade de Hong Kong, Eric Fong, concorda que esta política pode impulsionar o consumo local. Contudo, em declarações ao PLATAFORMA, diz que a “extensão deste impacto dependerá do montante que cada visitante estiver disposto a gastar”.
Limitado a residentes
A medida aplica-se apenas a residentes de Zhuhai que tenham lá nascido; ou possuam certificado de residência. A cidade vizinha tem uma população de cerca de 2.49 milhões de habitantes, sendo que aproximadamente 1.7 milhões têm acesso a esta nova medida. Razão pela qual, alguns residentes de Zhuhai contactados pelo PLATAFORMA afirmam que a medida não terá impacto nas suas vidas, pois não nasceram em Zhuhai, nem possuem o certificado de residência, conhecido como ‘hukou’. Embora residindo em Zhuhai, ficam de fora muitos trabalhadores que migraram de outras cidades chinesas. O novo visto também não permite exercer atividades profissionais em Macau.
Os residentes de Hengqin têm agora acesso sem restrições a Macau; mas apenas 40 mil pessoas residem atualmente na Zona de Cooperação Aprofundada. Grande parte dos residentes de Zhuhai que atualmente se deslocam regularmente a Macau possuem já visto de estudante, ou autorizações de trabalho, que lhes permitem atravessar a fronteira diariamente.
A nova política parece já ter criado um aumento nas atividades de comércio paralelo, com alguns residentes de Zhuhai a publicarem nas redes sociais que ganham 800 yuans por dia só a transportar bens de um lado para o outro. As autoridades alfandegárias de Macau divulgaram anteriormente ter intercetado mais de 12 mil pessoas, por comércio ilegal, entre 2020 e 2024. Durante o mesmo período, foram realizadas 313 ações de fiscalização, resultando na apreensão de mercadorias no valor de mais de 237 milhões de patacas. Com a possibilidade de se descolarem mais frequentemente à RAEM, esta atividade ilícita passou de repente a ser ainda mais lucrativa.
https://www.plataformamedia.com/2025/01/10/vistos-para-residentes-de-zhuhai-ajudam-comercio-local/
jan25
Na sequência da implementação, a partir de 1 de Janeiro de 2025, das políticas de “uma entrada por semana” (residentes de Zhuhai de visita a Macau) e “visto para várias entradas” (residentes da Zona de Cooperação Aprofundada em Hengqin de visita a Macau) acredito que o sector comercial de Macau vai ficar ainda mais vibrante e mais próspero.
https://hojemacau.com.mo/2025/01/10/cartao-dourado-mais-cintilante/
jan25
A record-breaking 203 million inbound and outbound passenger trips were made in 2024 via checkpoints in the Chinese mainland city of Zhuhai leading to Macau and Hong Kong, an increase of 22% year on year, official data showed.
These checkpoints include the ports of Gongbei, Hengqin, Qingmao and the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao Bridge. Gongbei, an over-land border crossing between Zhuhai in Guangdong Province and the Macao Special Administrative Region (SAR), was the busiest port, recording approximately 110 million inbound and outbound trips last year.
Macau last month celebrated the 25th anniversary of its return to the motherland. Macau and its neighbor Hong Kong are China’s two SARs governed under the ‘One country, two systems’ policy since China resumed the exercise of sovereignty over them following long periods of Portuguese and British colonial rule, respectively.
https://macaudailytimes.com.mo/zhuhai-checkpoints-leading-to-macau-hong-kong-report-record-high-2024-passenger-flows.html
jan25
The dramatic decline in the renminbi (RMB) against the US dollar is increasingly weighing on Macau’s tourism market. As the RMB continues to weaken, mainland Chinese tourists are finding that the cost of visiting Macau has risen sometimes by double digits, without corresponding price adjustments, making the destination less attractive.
jan25
Goldman Sachs projects an 8 percent year-on-year growth in Macau’s gross gaming revenue (GGR) for 2025, driven by continued strong travel spending from Chinese tourists.
Analysts also referenced another projection from the same institution, which anticipates that travel spending will outpace broader consumption trends in China, with a forecast of 7 percent growth for 2025.
Macau’s casino GGR in 2024 reached MOP226.78 billion ($28.39 billion), marking a 23.9 percent increase compared to the previous year. However, this still lags behind 2019 GGR, which totaled MOP292.45 billion ($36.7 billion).
https://agbrief.com/news/macau/03/01/2025/macau-ggr-to-grow-8-in-2025-backed-by-increasing-travel-spending-goldman-sachs/?utm_source=Asia+Gaming+Brief&utm_campaign=730cda73ea-AGB%3A+%2302055+Monday%2C+06th+January%2C+2025&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_51950b5d21-730cda73ea-%5BLIST_EMAIL_ID%5D&ct=t%28AGB%3A+%2302055+Monday%2C+06th+January%2C+2025%29&goal=0_51950b5d21-730cda73ea-%5BLIST_EMAIL_ID%5D&mc_cid=730cda73ea&mc_eid=31e20475e6
dec24
China may introduce additional policy support for its economy in 2025 in order to address “weak domestic demand”, as well as partially “offsetting external headwinds,” suggested Fitch Ratings Inc in a Monday report.
It follows the release of an official communique after the close of the Central Economic Work Conference last week, in which the Chinese authorities announced a shifting to a “moderately loose” and “more proactive” monetary policy for the coming year, from a previous “prudent” approach.
Such wording on Chinese monetary policy support is aligned with the position expressed by China’s politburo following a meeting held earlier this month, Fitch noted.
“We believe the shift to a moderately loose monetary policy stance increases the potential for policy interest rate cuts beyond the 25 basis points that we currently expect in 2025,” suggested Fitch in its Monday memo.
“Fitch continues to believe fiscal support will play the key role in addressing weak domestic demand and partially offsetting external headwinds, including the high likelihood of significant tariff increase on Chinese exports to the U.S. under the [Donald] Trump administration in 2025,” wrote the institution’s analysts.
https://www.ggrasia.com/china-likely-to-ramp-its-fiscal-policy-support-in-2025-analysts/
dec24
China announced on Tuesday a significant relaxation of its visa-free transit policy, extending the permitted stay for eligible foreign travellers from the original 72 and 144 hours to 240 hours, or 10 days.
Effective immediately, 21 additional ports have been designated for visa-free entry and exit, and the areas in which transit travelers can stay have been expanded, according to a statement from National Immigration Administration.
Under the updated policy, eligible citizens from 54 countries, including Russia, Brazil, Britain, the United States and Canada, can enter China visa-free when transiting to a third country or region.
These travelers may now enter through any of the 60 ports across 24 provinces, regions and municipalities and stay within the designated areas for up to 240 hours.
https://www.macaubusiness.com/china-extends-visa-free-transit-stays-to-10-days-for-overseas-travellers-adds-more-entry-points/
dec24
Citigroup has issued a conservative forecast for Macau’s December 2024 gross gaming revenue (GGR), projecting a flat year-on-year performance at MOP18.5 billion ($2.3 billion).
This forecast, which represents around 81 percent of December 2019 levels, reflects an anticipated slowdown in gaming volumes during President Xi Jinping’s visit to Macau for the celebration of the 25th Anniversary of Macau’s Handover to China on December 20th, along with other Mainland Chinese government officials.
https://agbrief.com/news/macau/02/12/2024/prudent-outlook-on-macaus-december-ggr-amid-visit-of-top-chinese-officials/?utm_source=Asia+Gaming+Brief&utm_campaign=b45eedfdc7-AGB%3A+%2302038+Tuesday%2C+03rd+December%2C+2024&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_51950b5d21-b45eedfdc7-%5BLIST_EMAIL_ID%5D&ct=t%28AGB%3A+%2302038+Tuesday%2C+03rd+December%2C+2024%29&goal=0_51950b5d21-b45eedfdc7-%5BLIST_EMAIL_ID%5D&mc_cid=b45eedfdc7&mc_eid=31e20475e6
dec24
The further relaxation of travel policies for mainland Chinese visiting Macau signals the ‘Chinese government’s ongoing support for Macau’s economic and non-gaming development’, alongside closer integration with the rest of the Greater Bay Area, highlights Goldman Sachs.
This stance is ‘contrary to some investors’ worries about further tightening of travel or capital flow policies following the appointment of Macau’s new Chief Executive’, the brokerage noted in its latest investment memo dated December 2nd.
Goldman Sachs emphasizes that the government’s policies continue to support Macau’s non-gaming development, a key pillar of the city’s diversification strategy.
As Macau seeks to establish itself as a hub for tourism, business, and leisure beyond gaming, the relaxation of travel policies is expected to drive further growth in these sectors, enhancing the city’s appeal to both visitors and investors.
This policy shift follows a series of earlier measures aimed at improving access to Macau. These include the addition of 10 new cities to the Individual Visit Scheme (IVS) and an increase in the duty-free shopping allowance from RMB5,000 ($690) to RMB12,000 ($1,650).
The latest changes, set to take effect on January 1st, 2025, will allow mainland Chinese residents with household registrations in Zhuhai to apply for a ‘one-trip-per-week’ visa. This enables them to visit Macau for up to seven days per trip, compared to the previous restriction of one trip every three months.
Additionally, residents holding household registrations or residence permits for Hengqin Island will qualify for multiple-entry visas, allowing unrestricted trips to Macau. However, each stay will still be capped at seven days.
AGB has learned that some border control measures, namely the policy to avoid gaming addiction, will be implemented internally by the Immigration Administration. This means there may still be limits on the number of visits for residents of Zhuhai and Hengqin traveling to Macau. However, normal leisure visits will not be affected.
Goldman Sachs also notes that reports suggest the ‘one-trip-per-week’ visa for Zhuhai residents could later be extended to other cities within the Greater Bay Area, further enhancing connectivity across the region.
https://agbrief.com/news/macau/02/12/2024/macaus-growth-backed-by-chinese-government-defying-fears-of-policy-tightening-gs/?utm_source=Asia+Gaming+Brief&utm_campaign=b45eedfdc7-AGB%3A+%2302038+Tuesday%2C+03rd+December%2C+2024&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_51950b5d21-b45eedfdc7-%5BLIST_EMAIL_ID%5D&ct=t%28AGB%3A+%2302038+Tuesday%2C+03rd+December%2C+2024%29&goal=0_51950b5d21-b45eedfdc7-%5BLIST_EMAIL_ID%5D&mc_cid=b45eedfdc7&mc_eid=31e20475e6
nov24
The financial stimulus measures rolled out by mainland China along with the interest rate cuts in Macau and Hong Kong have helped enhance lacklustre consumer sentiment and spending in the two cities in recent weeks, the Hong Kong-listed beauty product retail chain Sa Sa International said.
According to its 2024 interim report released on Thursday, the company noted a 10.4 percent year-on-year decrease in turnover to HK$1.92 billion (US$246.7 million) for the six months ending on September 30.
The decline was attributed to the sluggish macroenvironment, ongoing outbound travel of residents in Hong Kong and Macau, and reduced spending by Mainland Chinese tourists in the two cities, the report said.
In the first half of 2024, retail sales in Macau fell by 17.5 percent year-on-year to MOP36.85 billion (US$4.56 billion). According to the latest data from the Macau Statistics and Census Service (DSEC), sales in cosmetics and sanitary products dropped by 8 percent year-on-year to MOP1.23 billion.
https://www.macaubusiness.com/chinas-stimulus-package-boosts-sentiment-in-macau-sa-sa/
out24
China’s recent monetary stimulus is expected to benefit the world’s largest gaming hub, Macau, as the nation’s economy gains momentum and consumer and business confidence improves, notes Seaport Research Partners.
This renewed optimism may further support Macau’s growth narrative as it moves into 2025, particularly with a potential recovery in the mass market segment.
Senior Analyst Vitaly Umansky mentions in a recent investment memo that, a week ago, the Chinese government announced a series of monetary policy measures likely to bolster sentiment in both China and Macau. In an ‘unusual move’, the People’s Bank of China (PBOC) revealed a range of actions, including a reduction in the banking system’s reserve ratio, a cut in the benchmark rate, and adjustments to existing mortgage rates.
Additional liquidity measures for brokers and insurance companies, along with increased share buybacks for listed state-owned enterprises, aim to stimulate the Chinese stock market. The PBOC has indicated that more easing is forthcoming, suggesting that ‘we expect further stimulative measures in the coming weeks/months,’ and anticipates a pick-up in economic activity and confidence that could support Macau’s growth story into 2025.
https://agbrief.com/news/macau/02/10/2024/chinas-stimulus-likely-to-improve-sentiment-around-macau-seaport/?utm_source=Asia%20Gaming%20Brief&utm_campaign=2e2886289b-AGB%3A%20%2301996%20Thursday%2C%2003rd%20October%2C%202024&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_51950b5d21-2e2886289b-%5BLIST_EMAIL_ID%5D&ct=t%28AGB%3A%20%2301996%20Thursday%2C%2003rd%20October%2C%202024%29&goal=0_51950b5d21-2e2886289b-%5BLIST_EMAIL_ID%5D&mc_cid=2e2886289b&mc_eid=31e20475e6
set24
A suite of stimulus measures for mainland China, unveiled by Beijing earlier this week, could boost Macao’s gaming revenues – but not immediately, according to Seaport Research Partners.
The US-headquartered investment research platform said the package was “likely to improve some sentiment” in both China and Macao in the medium-term, Inside Asia Gaming reported.
Tuesday saw People’s Bank of China (PBOC) governor Pan Gongsheng announce cuts to both the mortgage rate for existing housing and to the reserve requirement ratio (RRR) in a bid to incentivise spending and investment. The move was considered a positive sign that Beijing was serious about reinvigorating the country’s slumped economy.
https://macaonews.org/news/business/macau-china-economic-stimulus-benefit-macao/
jul24 desajuda
The situation in Macau appears largely unchanged over the past week, which is a stable development following a disappointing start to the month. However, ongoing regulatory scrutiny on currency exchanges and broader macroeconomic concerns in China continue to cast a shadow, the memo notes
Industry sources report that Macau’s gross gaming revenue (GGR) for the week ending July 21st averaged MOP635 million ($79 million) per day. For the month-to-date, Mass GGR increased by 1-2 percent, while VIP GGR remained flat month-on-month, with the VIP win rate ranging between 3.3-3.6 percent.
https://agbrief.com/news/macau/23/07/2024/macaus-macro-conditions-challenge-gaming-performance-jefferies/
jul24 DESAJUDA (ver entrada de illegal changing)
Some mainland China players may have put off visiting Macau in June amid publicity about a crackdown by the Chinese authorities on unlicensed cross-border money exchange, says a Monday note from Seaport Global Securities LLC.
“We believe this crackdown round is having some negative impact on money flows into Macau and certain individuals have postponed their visits to Macau,” stated analyst Vitaly Umansky.
The authorities’ activity “will likely continue to be somewhat of a headwind to GGR [gross gaming revenue] over the next month or two,” he wrote.
But Mr Umansky added: “We expect the crackdown to soften and liquidity in Macau to be not significantly impacted in the medium term.”
https://www.ggrasia.com/some-players-avoiding-macau-amid-cash-crackdown-analyst/
The mainland China authorities announced on Friday that they will raise, with effect from Monday (July 1), the duty-free shopping allowance for mainland Chinese visiting either Macau or Hong Kong.
Starting from Monday, mainland residents returning to the mainland from visiting Macau will see their duty-free allowance increase to CNY15,000 (US$2,064) per trip, from CNY5,000, if they buy goods at duty-free stores at border crossings; or to CNY12,000 for shopping elsewhere in the city.
The duty-free allowance refers to luggage items deemed for reasonable personal use, according to the authorities.
Macau International Airport only currently offers a scheduled air service to one of the 10 Chinese mainland cities recently added to China’s exit visa system for independent travellers to go to Macau or Hong Kong, known as the Individual Visit Scheme (IVS).
That is according to GGRAsia’s review of Macau International Airport’s timetable, which shows a service to Qingdao, in the country’s eastern Shandong province. It is run by Macau’s legacy carrier Air Macau, which offers four round trip flights per week.
China’s decision to increase the number of places where people can apply for Individual Visit Scheme (IVS) exit visas to travel to Macau is “hugely positive” for the city’s gaming industry, says Robert Goldstein (pictured in a file photo), chairman and chief executive of Las Vegas Sands Corp, the parent of Macau casino firm Sands China Ltd.
“I think the most recent government support for the IVS scheme is also hugely positive for Las Vegas Sands and the [Macau] market,” stated the executive during a session on Wednesday at the Bernstein 40th Annual Strategic Decisions Conference Presentation.
Mainland Chinese visitors have historically been the lifeblood of Hong Kong’s retail and services sectors, spending on everything from basic goods like baby formula to luxury handbags and upscale restaurants — helping to shape the city’s economy in the process.
But after three years of Covid isolation, and before that a year of sometimes violent protests — not to mention the growing appeal of fast-developing mainland cities — Hong Kong has lost its shine for many Chinese tourists and is a long way from regaining its go-to status, observers say.
Local authorities had hoped one million people would cross the border on May 1, the start of the traditional “Golden Week” boom time for Hong Kong’s tourism and retail sectors, but the crowds at Lo Wu were moderate on Wednesday.
“Hong Kong is much more expensive than before,” said a technician surnamed Leung, 54, who was planning to visit local theme parks with his young children.
https://www.macaubusiness.com/hong-kong-faces-uphill-battle-to-lure-back-mainland-chinese-tourists/
O novo tipo de visto de múltiplas entradas destinado aos excursionistas “Hengqin-Macau” contribuirá para fomentar mais visitantes, considera o presidente da Associação dos Hotéis de Macau, Luís Herédia, antevendo no entanto que poderá afectar os preços e a ocupação hoteleira em Macau. Em sentido contrário, o presidente da Associação de Indústria Turística, Andy Wu, defende que o novo visto terá um “impacto muito reduzido” nos hotéis, uma vez que “actualmente a maioria das excursões não pernoita em Macau”
https://jtm.com.mo/local/sector-turismo-da-boas-vindas-novo-visto/
Forthcoming changes in visa arrangements for mainland Chinese tourists to Macau will only be “marginally beneficial” in the short term, according to Seaport Research Partners.
In a report published on Tuesday, analyst Vitaly Umansky said that “as with most Chinese government pronouncements and polices, the devil will be in the details of implementation”, despite acknowledging the positive sentiment since the announcement of the new arrangements, which are scheduled to take effect early next week.
“Historically, individuals have found creative ways to utilize government policies (or get around them) in order to get into Macau more frequently than technically allowed,” he wrote.
“Some of the new visa measures could be utilized by individuals seeking to enter Macau more frequently (and sometimes with more ease) than is currently feasible.”
Since March this year, travellers from Xi’an and Qingdao cities are allowed to visit Macau under the Individual Visit Scheme.
In another investment memo by JP Morgan, analysts describe the relaxation measures as a ‘surprise gift from the Motherland’, suggesting the policy shows that the Chinese government views Macau as the preferred gaming destination.
JP Morgan indicates that the news, alongside the Individual Visit Scheme (IVS) expansion news two months ago, suggests the Chinese mainland is ‘fully supportive’ of Macau’s economy and travel/leisure industry.
‘This shows a stark contrast to China’s rising scrutiny on cross-border gambling this year, such as government warnings on gambling in Singapore, South Korea, and Sri Lanka, or crackdowns on illegal gambling in the Philippines and Cambodia, or online gambling.’
https://pontofinal-macau.com/2024/04/29/pequim-anuncia-medidas-que-facilitam-excursoes-e-circulacao-de-talentos-e-empresarios-para-macau/
mar24
Meanwhile, gaming industry expert and analyst Ben Lee believed that, while gambling for the mainlanders no matter where has always been deemed illegal, it does present “an interesting dilemma for the mainland authorities as to how they will apply that ruling.”
“There’s very little doubt that they will most likely not apply that law to Macau as the outcome would be nothing short of a disaster for the SAR,” said Lee, managing partner of IGamiX Management & Consulting.
Three years ago, the Ministry of Culture and Tourism Department of China stated it had established a ‘blacklist’ of overseas gambling tourism destinations (excluding Macau), listing some cities that have opened casinos to attract Chinese tourists and disrupt the business order of China’s tourism market.
After a year, Beijing extended its travel blacklist of overseas gambling jurisdictions, which seeks to prevent Chinese nationals from traveling to casino destinations, which are alleged to be “endangering the personal and property safety of Chinese citizens.”
To the Times, Lee remarked, “It sits with our view that travelers flagged for gambling overseas are still unable to travel freely up until now and it either presages the gates being opened for more people to travel again or the crackdown continuing.”
The Chinese embassies in South Korea and Sri Lanka also issued similar warnings recently.
While the blacklisted destinations have not been made public the Philippines, Myanmar, Malaysia and Vietnam are all hotspots for Chinese gamblers, which have also become home to casinos and online gambling operations aimed at Chinese nationals.
Just last month, law enforcement agencies in China and the Philippines cooperated to repatriate more than 40 Chinese nationals engaged in offshore gambling, according to a statement from the Chinese embassy in the Philippines.
The Chinese embassy in Singapore said the Ministry of Public Security of China opened a reporting platform for combating cross-border and online gambling, where Chinese citizens can pass on clues and suspected activity.
Legal and gaming expert Jorge Costa Oliveira from JCO Consultancy Ltd told the Times that such reminders “don’t seem to apply to Macau.”
The gaming consultant noted that the criminal prosecution in Wenzhou (China) of former junket mogul Alvin Chau for overseas (Philippines) operations seems to have already “assumed this kind of interpretation of Chinese law.”
The Suncity case has comprehensively verified the specific harmful behaviors of the cross-border gambling criminal group such as organization and agency, gambling fund settlement, online gambling, asset management, technology and vehicle services.
Quoted by CCTV news, officials of the Intermediate People’s Court of Wenzhou believed that all these activities have been suppressed throughout the entire chain, which has a landmark significance for China’s lawful crackdown on cross-border gambling crimes.
https://macaudailytimes.com.mo/beijing-urges-citizens-in-singapore-to-avoid-gambling.html
mar24
China issued on Monday a WeChat social media posting via its Singapore embassy, warning Chinese citizens to “stay away from gambling” while in that city state. Singapore has a duopoly casino market, and other limited forms of legal wagering.
The Chinese-language message translated as: “Even if a casino establishment is set up legally outside the country’s [mainland China's] borders, citizens may allegedly come to violate our country’s laws over [involvement in] cross-border gambling, especially [via] participation in organising gambling… that can result in [such citizens] being held legally liable for their acts.”
The embassy message made reference to China’s amended criminal code that outlaws organising mainland Chinese citizens to gamble abroad. It came into effect from March 1, 2021.
https://www.ggrasia.com/china-tells-citizens-not-to-gamble-in-singapore-s-korea/
jan24
I think there’s a lot more transparency now. And I believe that mainland China, and their policy with issuing of visas, will change significantly now that the junkets have been taken out of the picture. I think they’ll feel there’s a lot more control, there’s a lot more regulation. And they feel far more comfortable with their citizens coming and having a leisurely gambling experience, as opposed to some extreme gambling experiences that were witnessed with some of these junket customers.
And that will, I think, increase with the use of RFID technology, you can bring it down to the player, what they’re doing and what they’re up to. And I think it could be very interesting with the digitization of the RMB. Because then you could then bring it down to the individual what they’re spending and what they’re spending it on. So that’s down the road.
Now this is really significant because we’re there was no problem filling the rooms on the weekend from Friday , with the big checkouts on Sunday, that was never a problem with free independent travelers. The problem was filling it Monday through Thursday, and some of the big properties had problems. They were making profits on the weekends but losing it during the week in their self-owned restaurants and operations, etc.
So, this was the gist behind what we were attempting to do – replicate that model here in in Macau. The hope at that time would be visa changes and access to conventions would be loosened, which will allow mainland Chinese MICE visitors to come in for six days.
The logistics of that and the complexities of that have still not been worked out to the extent that it’s been opened up. However, I believe that just like mainland China and Macau gave the world the gift of the gaming capital of Asia, we could be the MICE capital of Asia, if a few changes were made.
The other way that it can happen is simply by – because mass requires a lot more people, you remember, the individual visitor scheme (IVS) isn’t available in every province in China, and just need to turn on one or two more provinces at a time, if and when we’re ready to handle it, to bring that volume through to make that mass versus VIP look even stronger. And I believe that mainland China is 100 percent behind us.
https://agbrief.com/intel/face-to-face/19/01/2024/niall-murray-macau-move-beyond-junkets-horse-racing/
jan24
Air links and visa issues are identified as key factors contributing to China’s outbound travel rebound in 2024, according to research. With an increasing number of Asian countries lifting visa requirements for Chinese travelers, this shift may potentially impact casinos in the region that heavily depend on Chinese punters.
According to the “Outlook on the Outbound Tourism Demand Trend of Chinese Nationals in 2024”, conducted by the Tongcheng Research Institute, some 63.9 percent of respondents clearly stated they have plans for outbound travel, with over 40 percent planning to complete more than two outbound trips in 2024.
Meanwhile, about 13.5 percent of respondents wish to have outbound travel during the upcoming Chinese New Year, with 21.6 percent eyeing the summer vacation and 13.7 percent considering China’s National Day Golden Week in October.
However, 46.8 percent of respondents confess that they are avoiding public holiday periods for outbound travel.
https://agbrief.com/intel/deep-dive/31/01/2024/air-links-visas-key-china-outbound-travel-rebound/
jan24
A mutual 30-day visa free entry scheme between China and Singapore will take effect on 9 February 2024, just in time for Chinese New Year, Beijing has revealed.
Representatives of the Chinese and Singapore governments signed the visa-free agreement, having previously touted their intention to launch the scheme late last year.
Once the agreement comes into effect, holders of Chinese or Singaporean passports will be granted visa-free access to the other country for up to 30 days for the purposes of tourism, business or to visit relatives.
Those who enter the other country to engage in activities that require prior authorization, such as work or news reporting, or who plan to stay for more than 30 days, will still need to apply for a corresponding visa.
In an interview with Chinese state-owned media outlet CCTV, Wu Xi, Director General of the Consular Department of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, said, “China has launched a series of measures to facilitate the movement of people, which fully demonstrates China’s determination to promote a high level of opening up to the outside world, and we welcome friends from all over the world to come to China for travel, business, investment and study.
China has now concluded mutual visa-free agreements with 157 countries covering various passport categories, and has arrangements with 44 countries to simplify visa procedures. In January, China and Thailand signed a permanent visa-free policy.
In a recent note in which it predicted gaming revenues at Singapore’s integrated resorts would grow by 10% in 2024, ratings agency Fitch pointed out that, as of October 2023, visitor arrivals to Singapore were still down 25% on pre-COVID levels – mainly due to the slow recovery of the Chinese market.
Nomura analyst said Thursday that the implementation of visa-free travel between China and Singapore would provide an additional boost to the nation’s two IRs – Marina Bay Sands and Resorts World Sentosa.
https://www.asgam.com/index.php/2024/01/25/china-and-singapore-to-implement-mutual-visa-free-access-from-9-february-in-time-for-chinese-new-year/
Comments
Post a Comment