Macau to reallocate satellite casino assets to concessionaires amid industry overhaul

Macau will reassign gaming tables and slot machines from satellite casinos to the main concessionaires under which they currently operate, the government said, confirming the city’s ongoing transition away from the satellite casino model.

Speaking at a press conference on Monday, Secretary for Justice and Administration André Cheong Weng Chon said the government intends to approve the return of gaming assets located in satellite casinos to the corresponding licensed operators, despite a legal provision that requires such assets to revert to the state upon closure.

The announcement follows confirmation that all satellite casinos in Macau will cease operations by the end of this year.

The move will affect 11 satellite casino venues, which house around 480 gaming tables and 270 slot machines, according to Ng Wai Han, newly appointed director of the Gaming Inspection and Coordination Bureau (DICJ).

Operators Melco Resorts & Entertainment and SJM Holdings have already stated that they plan to relocate gaming tables and slots from satellite locations to their own directly operated casino floors. In addition, SJM revealed it intends to acquire the physical properties of the L’Arc and Ponte 16 satellite casinos, converting them into fully owned properties.

“Whether the acquisition will ultimately take place and whether it will be successful are commercial decisions,” Cheong said. “However, if SJM successfully acquires them, they will be casinos operated by the concessionaires themselves [and will no longer be] satellite casinos.”

Macau’s satellite casino model — which allowed third-party businesses to operate casinos under a licensed operator’s permit — has come under increased regulatory scrutiny in recent years. The government’s push to consolidate operations under concessionaires is seen as part of a broader effort to tighten oversight of the city’s gaming sector.

The reallocation of gaming equipment back to licensed operators marks a significant restructuring of how Macau’s casino market is organized, and could have implications for the city’s long-term gaming footprint and investment landscape.