• About Us
  • The Team
  • Advertise with Us

The latest news on the gaming industry in Asia

() () () () () () () () () () () () () () () () () () () () () () () () () () () () () () () () () () () () () () () () () () () () () () () () () () () () () () () () () () () () () () () () () () () () () () () () () () () () () () () () () () () () () () () () () () () () () () () () () ()
  • Home
  • Macau
  • Philippines
  • Singapore
  • Japan
  • Rest of Asia
  • World
  • Industry Talk
  • Trends & Tech
  • iGaming
  • follow
    • Facebook
    • Twitter
    • RSS Feed
    • LinkedIn

Super typhoon a risk for Macau in 2019: weather bureau

Mar 25, 2019 Newsdesk Latest News, Macau, Top of the deck  


Super typhoon a risk for Macau in 2019: weather bureau

Macau’s weather forecasting service has warned that another “super typhoon” could impact the city this year.

The Macao Meteorological and Geophysical Bureau used the term in its assessment, published on Monday. It did not specifically refer to a category 10 tropical cyclone – the strongest in the available scale for such weather events – but the warning implied that the city could face further significant disruption to the city’s core business, the casino industry, during 2019.

The bureau forecast that a total of four to six typhoons could come within an 800-kilometre (500-mile) radius of Macau in 2019. It added that the first such severe storm was likely to happen in mid-June or later. The 2019 typhoon season was expected to end in early October.

Typhoon season for the western North Pacific – including the coast of China’s Guangdong province, where Macau and the neighbouring Chinese Special Administrative Region, Hong Kong, are located – is usually May to November, according to the World Meteorological Bureau, a United Nations agency.

Even a relatively milder category eight typhoon results in closure of public transport in Macau even when the casinos run normally. Investment analysts say the suspension of links in and out of Macau to mainland China, Hong Kong and beyond can shave fractions of a percentage point or greater from Macau’s daily casino gross gaming revenue tally during the storm-affected period.

Two super typhoons struck Macau in little more than a 12-month period recently, after a half-century of relatively milder storms.

Typhoon Hato caused extensive flooding and loss of life when it passed close to Macau in August 2017.

Typhoon Mangkhut, which occurred in September last year, brought about the precautionary closure of all casinos in the city – the first such pause in the modern era of casino gaming in the city.

The temporary stoppage was agreed by the city’s government and the six operators of Macau casinos. Such venues in Macau were closed from late on Saturday, September 15 until the following Monday morning

The government said afterwards that it had yet to consider whether to make such closures mandatory when a strong storm threatens Macau. The casino operators could also in future face higher labour costs associated with maintaining staff cover during less severe typhoons, due to pressure from local gaming labour groupings for changes to work roster and compensation practices.

In November, Macau’s Statistics and Census Service estimated that Typhoon Mangkhut caused economic losses to the city amounting to MOP1.55 billion (about US$193 million), including MOP960 million in what it termed “indirect” losses for the gaming industry.

Mangkhut was one of the fiercest recorded storms ever to hit Macau. It passed over the city with wind speeds of about 160 kilometres per hour (99.4 mph), causing serious flooding in the city and damage to infrastructure. Floodwater was as much as 1.9 metres (6.2 feet) above road level in some areas.


  • tweet
Related articles
  • 4Q decline in Macau gaming workforce with few vacancies
    4Q decline in Macau gaming workforce...

    Mar 06, 2023  

  • Notable drop in underemployed Macau gaming workers: govt
    Notable drop in underemployed Macau...

    Feb 27, 2023  

More news
  • Main-building work at Naga 3 begins mid-2023: NagaCorp
    Main-building work at Naga 3 begins...

    Mar 24, 2023  

  • Macau diversification into non-gaming to remain slow: Fitch
    Macau diversification into non-gaming...

    Mar 24, 2023  


Latest News

Main-building work at Naga 3 begins mid-2023: NagaCorp

Main-building work at Naga 3 begins mid-2023: NagaCorp

Mar 24, 2023  

Piling work for Naga 3, an addition to the NagaWorld gaming complex in Cambodia’s capital Phnom Penh, was at “96 percent completion”, said the promoter’s 2022 annual report, issued on...
Read More
Macau diversification into non-gaming to remain slow: Fitch

Macau diversification into non-gaming to remain slow: Fitch

Mar 24, 2023  

Osaka to up ‘gambling addiction’ centres before IR opens

Osaka to up ‘gambling addiction’ centres before IR

Mar 24, 2023  

Sign up to our FREE Newsletter

UB8V5.qr.16(Click here for more)

Pick of the Day


April 8, 2028

Completion deadline for 'Marina Bay Sands 2.0', as authorised by Singapore’s authorities



Most Popular

  • Sands China woos Singaporeans as Air Macau opens routeSands China woos Singaporeans as Air Macau opens route March 23, 2023
  • March 18 Macau arrivals nearly 100k, best since pandemicMarch 18 Macau arrivals nearly 100k, best since pandemic March 23, 2023
  • Contractor named, work starts for Wynn UAE schemeContractor named, work starts for Wynn UAE scheme March 23, 2023
  • LVS gets 1-year extension for Marina Bay Sands 2.0 startLVS gets 1-year extension for Marina Bay Sands 2.0 start March 24, 2023
  • Universal Ent affiliate to develop land next to Okada ManilaUniversal Ent affiliate to develop land next to Okada Manila March 24, 2023
Copyright 2014-2023 TEAM Publishing and Consultancy Ltd / All rights reserved
  • Code of Ethics
  • Privacy Policy
  • Useful Links
  • Contact Us