Macau Visitor Arrivals Up Nine Percent in 2018 First Quarter

Macau visitor arrivals totaled significantly more than 8.5 million within the first quarter of 2018, an 8.6 percent increase on the same period that is three-month 2017.

Mainland Chinese residents are flocking to Macau.

March was an exceptionally strong period, as tourism traffic jumped more than nine per cent due towards the thirty days having an extra Saturday in 2018 compared to the year that is previous. Visitor arrivals totaled 2.7 million, which is actually an 11 % fall from February due to that month hosting the all-important Golden Week holiday.

Visitation from Mainland China was up almost 10 percent last month, and 13.4 per cent within the first quarter.

The Macau Statistics and Census Service report is welcomed news to casino operators that continue to look to increase mass market visitation to the video gaming enclave.

Gross gaming revenue (GGR) has followed the visitation trend. Income from games of fortune are up 20.5 percent through March. China’s gaming enclave has now posted 21 consecutive months of good gains.

Mass Appeal

After 3 years of yearly GGR declines between 2014 and 2016 due to Chinese President Xi Jinping’s anti-corruption campaign being extended to VIP junkets, casino operators started rethinking their focus to more of the general population.

As the VIP has reigned supreme for years and is responsible for transforming Macau from the sleepy hallow into the world’s gaming hub that is richest, casinos no longer wish to entirely count on the high roller to help keep profits robust.

Mainland Asia and Hong Kong is responsible for more than 85 percent of the traffic to Macau. Showing a growth in visitation from the mainland through the initial three months of 2018, with no apparent rise in junket activity, means resorts are effectively enticing more associated with the mass market.

‘Mass demand is growing to record highs,’ analysts at JP Morgan said last week. ‘The pace that this data recovery is occurring without any discernible rise in promotion implies it’s a genuine demand recovery, maybe not artificially pulled ahead.’

Macau officials are hoping infrastructure improvements assists in future growth. The 2018 summer opening of the multibillion-dollar mega bridge that will reduce auto travel time from Hong Kong to Macau from four hours to just 45 minutes should bring new visitors to the enclave along with a new ferry terminal near the Cotai Strip.

Entry Concerns

Gross gaming revenue and Macau visitor arrivals are both up in 2018 with one quarter of the 12 months in the books.

Macau Travel Industry Council President Andy Wu Keng Kuong told news that is local this week that the Special Administrative Region (SAR) government needs to be ready to manage big quantities of site visitors 356 days a year, when compared to only at top times like Golden Week.

‘We don’t foresee there is a jump in the wide range of tourists coming weekend that is last Wu told the Macau Information Agency. ‘Related government departments should study more data in order to higher organize and prepare for the development of tourists.’

Wu believes room rates during major vacations, which are of course at premium levels, has some mainlanders postponing their trips to times that are off-peak as mid-April.

The travel industry president is urging the government to enhance edge crossing procedures, and look to buy new public transport.

UFC Fight Delivers Knockout Win for Atlantic City night

Saturday’s UFC (Ultimate Fighting Championship) Fight evening event at Boardwalk Hall delivered a strong showing for the Atlantic City economy, as 9,541 fans stuffed into the arena generating a gate of $923,720.

Kevin Lee (left) defeated Edson Barboza into the headlining fight at UFC Fight Night 128 in Atlantic City. (Image: Noah Murray/USA TODAY Sports)

The nj-new Jersey Casino Reinvestment Development Authority (CRDA) struck a $4 million cope with William Morris Endeavor (WME) in July 2017 to create large activities to the beachfront town. CRDA officials praised Saturday’s UFC showing.

‘Our partnership with WME is all about bringing offseason destination events to Atlantic City, and the UFC Fight event did not disappoint,’ CRDA Executive Director Christopher Howard declared to the Press of Atlantic City night. ‘These events continues to draw people to Atlantic City and display Boardwalk Hall.’

Mayor Frank Gilliam (D) called UFC Fight 128 a ‘great success. night’ City Council President Marty Small stated UFC was a win for the entire economic community, and believes the 2018 summer is critical to the future of Atlantic City.

Saturday was the UFC that is first fight Boardwalk Hall since 2005.

Pay to Play

The CRDA’s $4 million payment to WME requires http://1xbets-giris.top/ the Beverly Hills talent agency and UFC parent company to bring several alleged ‘destination events’ to Boardwalk Hall or the Atlantic City Convention Center.

Destination occasions are concerts and attractions that bring outside visitors to Atlantic City who are typically required to spend the night time at casino resorts.

WME has three future activities planned for Boardwalk Hall. They’re the Professional Bull Riders (PBR) Tour Unleash the Beast that runs September 14-16, Bear Grylls Survival Challenge (October 12-14), and also the Basketball Hall of Fame Quadruple Header on December 15.

The CRDA also has entertainment contracts with Live Nation and Comcast NBC-Universal. Live Nation was responsible for last summer’s beach concert show that brought musicians Pink and Brantley Gilbert to Atlantic City, and a combined 70,000 fans.

Lloyd D. Levenson Institute of Gaming Executive Director Rummy Pandit believes it’s really a strategy that’s working.

‘The presence of sporting events like the UFC fight possesses synergistic effect for the whole city, generating financial task which impacts many local businesses from meals and beverage to lodging,’ Pandit stated. ‘As New Jersey moves closer to offer legal sports wagering, the synergy between live sporting events and video gaming will probably grow even stronger and have an even greater affect the neighborhood economy.’

2018 Summer

Summer doesn’t officially begin until June 21, but things are usually warming up in Atlantic City. With at least two new casinos expected to open in the coming months, there’s much enthusiasm around town.

Hard Rock Atlantic City, the former Trump Taj Mahal that’s being converted into a rock ‘n’ roll-themed resort at a cost of $500 million, is set to available June 28. The business states it’s focused on entertainment, not gaming, and it has unveiled 60 of its 300 planned concerts in its year that is first of.

Hard Rock headliners include Blake Shelton, Florida Georgia Line, Third Eye Blind, Steely Dan, and Kid Rock.

The shuttered Revel is additionally slated to open come early july as Ocean Resort Casino. The Showboat, which happens to be a hotel-only property, is mulling reopening its casino floor, too.

Crown Resorts Hit with More Accusations of Slots Tampering

Australia’s Crown Resorts is facing brand new accusations of video slot tampering at its flagship Crown Melbourne Casino.

Long-time scourge for the gambling that is australian Andrew Wilkie thinks Crown Resorts’ gaming license shouldn’t be renewed until all slots-tampering allegations have already been thoroughly investigated. (Image: The Examiner)

Longstanding lawmaker that is anti-gambling perennial Crown Resorts adversary Andrew Wilkie announced this week he was approached by a former VIP customer at the casino who claimed staff had provided her with ‘small plastic picks’ to stick to the gaps between wagering buttons on slots. These had been used to help keep the buttons depressed, allowing for automatic and play that is continuous.

The lady additionally advertised the casino issued her with multiple loyalty cards so she could make commitment points playing machines that are multiple once.

Police Informed

According to the Sydney Morning Herald, under Victorian gaming legislation, slots with non-stop spins are permitted in some specially designated areas associated with the casino, but tampering with machines that must pass strict regulatory scrutiny could be from the law. For Wilkie, though, there is absolutely no doubt.

‘I have actually raised [the allegations] aided by the VCGLR (Victoria state gaming regulator) personally earlier today,’ he told SMH. ‘ And I have also written to the principle commissioner of Victoria Police and suggested police also need certainly to look at these matters, because if these matters are true, they would be unlawful.’

Previous ‘Button Blocking’ Accusations

In March, the VCGLR announced it would commence proceedings that are disciplinary Crown after finding proof of ‘button blocking’ at the Crown Casino Melbourne.

The regulator’s research was prompted by the allegations of three ‘anonymous whistleblowers’ all ex-Crown employees who testified to Wilkie they’d been purchased to ‘shave down’ wagering buttons on slots so customers could jam them in and gamble non-stop. The whistleblowers also claimed they were instructed to eliminate, or ‘blank out,’ specific betting that is low on the machines.

Crown countered that between March and April 2017 it had conducted a three-week trial on 17 of the casino’s 2,628 slot machines. The operator said it did not seek approval that is regulatory the trial because it didn’t violate any gambling guidelines.

Nevertheless, these are unwelcome allegations for Crown Resorts at time when its permit is up for review. Wilkie said he believes there is ‘no method the license should be renewed until all the allegations are completely investigated’.

‘then i think a cloud hangs over the renewal of their license,’ he added if Crown is found to be guilty of any offences in regard to any of the individual allegations.