No approval yet for Royal Dragon casino in Macau

Sep 11, 2017 Newsdesk Latest News, Macau, Top of the deck  

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A sign saying “Royal Dragon Casino” (pictured) has recently appeared on a revamped building near the Macao Polytechnic Institute in the downtown district of Macau. A visit to the site by GGRAsia suggested the venue was at or near completion; although not open to visitors.

The city’s casino regulator, the Gaming Inspection and Coordination Bureau, told GGRAsia in an emailed reply on Thursday that the bureau had “not received any official letter from any of the gaming concessionaires seeking approval for opening [a] new casino” at that site. We were unable to confirm from the visit whether gaming equipment was inside the building. The property also carried a sign saying “Hotel Royal Dragon”.

The dragon logo at the new property appears to be similar to that on the building at nearby casino hotel Golden Dragon, a property run by Golden Dragon Co Ltd. The firm is chaired by Chan Meng Kam, a veteran Macau legislator and a local casino boss.

The casino at Golden Dragon makes use – under what is known as a service contract – of the gaming licence of Macau casino operator SJM Holdings Ltd. Another venue also run by Golden Dragon Co – Casino Taipa Square – is operated under the licence of Melco Resorts and Entertainment Ltd.

GGRAsia approached Mr Chan asking whether he or his businesses were connected to “Royal Dragon Casino” but did not receive a reply by the time the story went online. SJM Holdings did not reply to our questions regarding possible licensing of a new third-party casino.

The new venue also carries a sign bearing the logo of local slot parlour chain Mocha Clubs. GGRAsia approached Macau casino licensee Melco Resorts – the promoter of Mocha Clubs – about whether the chain might be opening a new site in the building, but did not receive a reply by the time the story went online.

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