AGTech Holdings Limited, a lottery and integrated technology company, has received the green light from Macau regulators to attain a controlling stake in Ant Bank (Macao) Limited. In a press release, AGTech confirmed the regulatory approval for its acquisition through a share transfer and capital injection, positioning the company as the majority shareholder of Ant Bank.  

AGTech emphasised that the transaction will be completed once all closing conditions in the share transfer agreement have been fulfilled or waived. “The said completion will take place after all the closing conditions have been fulfilled, after which Ant Bank will become an indirect non-wholly owned subsidiary of AGTech,” the company stated.  

The deal, valued at MOP243 million (€27.5 million), was first disclosed in February 2024. AGTech announced that it would acquire existing shares and subscribe to new shares, raising its stake in Ant Bank to 51.5 percent. This marks a strategic alignment with AGTech’s vision to bolster digital financial services in Macau and the Greater Bay Area. Once completed, Ant Bank will be integrated into AGTech’s financial statements as a non-wholly owned subsidiary.  

“The Transaction aligns with AGTech’s strategy to support the digital transformation of financial services in Macau and the Greater Bay Area,” the company added.    

AGTech plans to leverage synergies between its electronic payment services and Ant Bank’s digital banking solutions. This collaboration will connect digital banking with AGTech’s ecosystem, integrating services like payments and inclusive finance to cater to Macau’s residents and small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). The move also aims to attract cross-border tourists to Macau, aligning with the city’s tourism-driven economy.  

“With synergies from Alibaba Group, Ant Group’s resources, and AGTech’s business units in life services and e-commerce, we aim to create unique cross-border financial services,” AGTech commented. These efforts are designed to diversify the company’s revenue streams and promote economic growth in Macau.  

Ant Bank, a key player in Macau’s digital banking and payment sector, provides services such as deposits, loans, and cross-border remittances. Through this acquisition, AGTech will expand its business scope, moving beyond digital payment services into digital financial services.?

Andrew MacDonald, the Chief Casino Officer of Resorts World Sentosa (RWS), has been banned from entering Marina Bay Sands (MBS), his former employer. In a post on his social media account, MacDonald shared the Persona Non-Grata (PNG) notice issued on July 31, 2024.   

According to the notice, MacDonald is “prohibited from entering or remaining on any part of Marina Bay Sands Integrated Resort premises, including but not limited to the Hotel, Mall, Convention Center and Casino.” The notice also said that the ban will stay in effect until further notice, with potential legal consequences if MacDonald attempts to access the property.??

In a message to SiGMA News, MacDonald said he will no longer do interviews on this topic. Earlier media reports quoted MacDonald denying any wrongdoing, stating that his visits to MBS were purely social. He revealed that he had been in the company of a close friend, former Crown Melbourne executive Mike Sugrue, and claimed that all interactions with MBS staff and players were coincidental. MacDonald acknowledged speaking with two "high-value" players but insisted that these encounters were not premeditated.  

Reports also suggest that MBS issued the PNG notice due to concerns that MacDonald was attempting to poach MBS customers and staff during a series of visits to the property in July. Having worked at MBS for nearly 12 years as Corporate Senior Vice President and Chief Casino Officer before leaving in 2021, MacDonald took on the role of Chief Casino Officer at Resorts World Sentosa around a year later.   

While MBS has refrained from publicly discussing the specific reasons for the notice, a spokesperson was quoted saying that the decision was not made lightly and followed thorough internal protocols. ??

Galaxy Entertainment Group (GEG) announced impressive financial results for the second quarter and first half of 2024. In its press release, the group's adjusted EBITDA for Q2 reached HKD3.2 billion (€372.3 million), representing a 28 percent year-on-year increase and a 12 percent rise quarter-on-quarter. For the first half of 2024, adjusted EBITDA amounted to HKD6.0 billion (€698.2 million), also up by 37 percent compared to the same period last year. Group net revenue for H1 2024 hit HKD21.5 billion (€2.5 billion), a 37 percent year-on-year rise.  

Galaxy Entertainment Chairman Dr. Lui Che Woo attributed this success to robust growth across all segments. "We continued to drive every segment of our business and further improve our resorts," Lui remarked. He also noted that GEG’s resort hotels reported virtually 100 percent occupancy, a testament to the group's strong recovery post-pandemic.??

The group announced an interim dividend of HKD0.50 (€0.058) per share, payable in October 2024, highlighting GEG's confidence in its long-term outlook. Lui expressed optimism, saying, "These dividends demonstrate our confidence in the positive long-term outlook for Macau and the Company."  

GEG also updated its expansion plans, with the much anticipated Capella at Galaxy Macau set to open in mid-2025. In addition, Phase 4 of the resort will bring new family entertainment and non-gaming attractions, including a 5,000-seat theater and several high-end hotel brands.??

GEG praised the Central Government’s expansion of the Individual Visit Scheme (IVS), now covering 59 cities with a combined population of 500 million. Lui highlighted the relaxation of visa requirements, which he believes will further drive visitation to Macau.??

On the technological front, GEG implemented "smart tables" technology. The company completed backend system integration and customer database transfers and began rolling out smart tables at Galaxy Macau’s main gaming floor in early July. Lui expects the full implementation to be completed by the end of 2024.  

Galaxy Macau, the group's flagship property, saw its gross gaming revenue (GGR) surge to HKD8.86 billion (€1.03 billion) in Q2, with an EBITDA margin of 32 percent. StarWorld Macau also posted strong results, with GGR reaching HKD1.42 billion (€165.2 million) and an EBITDA margin of 29 percent. Smaller venues like Broadway Macau and the City Clubs also contributed positively, with Broadway Macau reversing losses and turning HKD12 million (€1.4 million) in adjusted EBITDA for H1 2024.  

GEG continues to prioritise non-gaming developments as part of its long-term strategy. "We are well advanced with the fitting out of Capella at Galaxy Macau and Phase 4, which has a strong focus on non-gaming," said Lui, reinforcing the group's commitment to entertainment and family-friendly experiences in addition to gaming.?

A report this weekend in the Financial Times confirmed that Macau is tightening its grip on unlicensed currency traders, the ripple effects on its casino industry and broader economy remain to be seen. The territory’s gamble on stricter regulations could either stabilise its financial system or drive gamblers to seek alternative, and potentially riskier, methods of funding their bets. These traders have long facilitated the flow of money for gamblers looking to bypass China’s stringent capital controls. The crackdown has sparked concerns about a potential regulatory clampdown that could impact the territory’s booming casino industry.

Macau, a former Portuguese colony, operates under a legal system distinct from mainland China and is the only place within the country where casino gambling is legal. The territory’s casinos are a major draw for millions of mainland Chinese visitors each year, contributing to an estimated gaming revenue of 216 billion patacas ($27 billion) in 2024, surpassing even Nevada’s earnings.

Unlicensed currency traders have been a crucial part of Macau’s gambling ecosystem, enabling tourists from mainland China to exchange their renminbi for the Hong Kong dollars used in casinos. However, policymakers in Macau’s semi-autonomous parliament recently announced that providing unauthorized currency-changing services within casino premises will now be a criminal offense. Offenders could face up to five years in prison and a ban of up to ten years from gambling sites.

This crackdown has already had a tangible impact on the market. Shares of Macau’s six casino operators have taken a hit, with a Bloomberg Intelligence gauge of Macau casino stocks dropping by about 7 percent in the past month. The move has also reignited fears of a renewed regulatory campaign similar to the one in 2021, which targeted underground finance networks facilitating capital flight from China.

“First they cracked down on the big fish, and now they’re going after the little ones,” remarked Ben Lee, managing partner at Macau-based consultancy IGamiX (pictured above). He noted that policymakers are particularly sensitive to the trade given China’s slowing economy. In June, China’s Ministry of Public Security called for a “high-pressure crackdown” to dismantle criminal gangs involved in illegal currency trading. By July, coordinated efforts between police in China and Macau had led to significant arrests in cities like Zhuhai, which borders Macau.

David Green of Newpage Consulting, a former advisor to the Macau government, pointed out that while money exchange gangs are not new, they were previously considered less of a concern compared to money laundering and underground banking. The 2021 crackdown on junkets, which were promoters that brought high-spending mainland gamblers to Macau, has now shifted focus to unlicensed money-exchange operators.

Analysts at JPMorgan estimate that only about 10 percent of Macau’s gaming revenue comes from in-casino unlicensed money exchange services. They caution that the crackdown might push gamblers to seek other financing routes, such as using mainland bank cards at local pawn shops or currency exchanges outside resort premises. Analysts have also noted that stocks like Sands China and Galaxy Entertainment are trading near or below their Covid-era lows, adding to the uncertainty and fragile investment sentiment in Macau’s gaming sector.

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