The Macau government has established the Committee for Public Tendering of Concessions for the Operation of Casino Games of Fortune, to oversee the fresh public tender for the city’s gaming rights. The information was published in the city’s Official Gazette on Wednesday.
The government has also gazetted that same day a new administrative regulation, which sets up a “Specialised Committee for the Games of Fortune Sector”. The body will support the drafting of gaming-related policies in Macau.
According to Wednesday’s announcement, the nine-person committee to oversee the public tender for gaming rights is composed of leaders of several Macau governmental departments.
The gaming tender committee members are: Secretary for Administration and Justice, André Cheong Weng Chon; Secretary for Economy and Finance, Lei Wai Nong; Secretary for Social Affairs and Culture, Elsie Ao Ieong U; secretary-general of the city’s Executive Council, Hoi Lai Fong; director of the Economic and Technological Development Bureau, Tai Kin Ip; director of the Macao Government Tourism Office, Maria Helena de Senna Fernandes; director of the Gaming Inspection and Coordination Bureau, Adriano Marques Ho; director of the Judiciary Police, Sit Chong Meng; and the director of the Land and Urban Construction Bureau, Lai Weng Leong.
The tender committee is tasked with analysing and deciding all matters relating to the gaming licence tendering process, and relating to the formulation of concession contracts.
The Macau authorities published earlier this month amendments to the public tender regulation for Macau gaming rights. That document sets the general terms of the tender required to select the concessions to operate games of chance in casinos, as well as the suitability and financial capacity requirements of the bidders.
Members of Macau’s Legislative Assembly approved late last month a government-backed bill to revise the city’s gaming law. The amendment bill says that up to six new concessions will be permitted, for a maximum term of 10 years.
Investment analysts have suggested that the public tender could be launched later this month or in early August, with the successful bidders selected by November or December. It is expected that all six incumbent operators will bid in the new process.
The newly-established Specialised Committee for the Games of Fortune Sector will be responsible for assisting the city’s incumbent Chief Executive in formulating policies for the gaming sector, according to the regulation published on Wednesday.
The body – chaired by the incumbent Secretary for Economy and Finance – comprises representatives from the offices respectively of the Macau Chief Executive and the five government secretaries, as well as the head of the Gaming Inspection and Coordination Bureau.
The committee’s chairman could invite government or private-sector representatives or experts from Macau or overseas to take part in the meetings, but these invitees would have no voting rights within the committee, the official dispatch stated.
