• 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

Up to 4.6-pct GGR hit from casino smoke ban: Macau govt

Sep 24, 2015 Newsdesk Latest News, Macau, Top of the deck  


Up to 4.6-pct GGR hit from casino smoke ban: Macau govt

Macau’s Health Bureau has said in a written reply to a Macau legislator that it expects – if implemented – a full smoking ban in the city’s casinos would result in a 2.7 percent to 4.6 percent reduction in casino gross gaming revenue (GGR).

It is the first time the authorities in the city have said publicly what they think would be the economic impact on the local casino industry of such a ban.

The news was reported on Thursday by public broadcaster Rádio Macau. The report quoted the written reply saying the assessment was done in conjunction with Macau’s gaming regulator, the Gaming Inspection and Coordination Bureau. The government forecast was based on estimates regarding the percentage of Macau gamblers that are smokers and the potential impact of a reduction in the number of their visits to casinos.

Macau’s GGR for the first eight months of the year was tracking at an aggregate 36.5 percent fall from the equivalent period in 2014, weighed down by factors including an anti-graft drive in China and a slowing economy there.

In June, a note from Deutsche Bank AG mentioned a possible impact of 10 percent to 15 percent on Macau VIP revenue under a total smoking ban, adding that when Macau mass gaming floors were designated no-smoking areas in October 2014 – with the exception of gaming-free enclosed smoking lounges  – mass gaming revenue fell 12 percent sequentially.

Smoking is currently permitted in VIP gaming areas.

Union Gaming Securities Asia Ltd said in a note on Thursday that it acknowledged there was at the time of writing a lack of information available to it regarding the methodology of the government’s impact assessment. But the institution said a “reverse engineering” of known data suggested an impact nearer to the higher end of the government’s estimate, namely a circa 5 percent loss of GGR.

“Based on our observations of smokers in Macau, the average time to smoke a cigarette is typically less than three minutes. However, given that the smoking ban would necessitate persons leaving a casino and going to a sidewalk, the time per cigarette is likely to more than double to something like eight minutes (if not more),” wrote Union Gaming analyst Grant Govertsen.

His assessment assumed the documented market split of 45 percent of Chinese adult males being smokers, and 2 percent of adult Chinese females. Additionally the analysis assumed that a male Chinese smoker consumed about one cigarette per hour over 16 waking hours per day; and a female Chinese smoker had nearly 13 cigarettes per day, or 0.8 of a cigarette per waking hour, and that the average Macau casino customer mix was 85 percent males and 15 percent females.

“We therefore estimate that the average male will spend 6.2 percent of his time smoking while the average female will spend 0.2 percent of her time smoking… [and so] we estimate that a total of 5.3 percent of total [casino] customer time will be ‘lost’ while smoking,” wrote Mr Govertsen.

But he added: “We actually don’t expect to hear a lot about the smoking ban over the coming months, which we would categorise as ‘no news is good news’ for the time being.”

The Macau government might reconsider its position regarding a tabled ban on casino smoking lounges, depending on the results of a public consultation, said Macau’s Secretary for Social Affairs and Culture, Alexis Tam Chon Weng, in comments to local media on August 6.

Brokerage Sterne Agee CRT had mentioned in a note on September 17 the possibility of such a ban only being implemented in late 2016 or early 2017. It cited the source of the information as checks with several Macau legislators.


  • tweet
Related articles
  • Macau Covid-19 ‘risk’ status lifted: health official
    Macau Covid-19 ‘risk’ status...

    Nov 03, 2022  

  • Macau ready to receive mainland group tours in Nov: MGTO
    Macau ready to receive mainland group...

    Oct 28, 2022  

More news
  • Gaming-linked crime in Macau up 24pct y-o-y in 1Q: govt
    Gaming-linked crime in Macau up 24pct...

    Jun 08, 2023  

  • SOFTSWISS chosen for Cobra Casino jackpot campaign
    SOFTSWISS chosen for Cobra Casino...

    Jun 08, 2023  


Latest News

Gaming-linked crime in Macau up 24pct y-o-y in 1Q: govt

Gaming-linked crime in Macau up 24pct y-o-y in 1Q: govt

Jun 08, 2023  

Macau recorded 158 “gaming-related” crimes in the first three months of 2023, up 24.4 percent on the 127 identified in the prior-year period, according to the latest statistics published on...
Read More
SOFTSWISS chosen for Cobra Casino jackpot campaign

SOFTSWISS chosen for Cobra Casino jackpot campaign

Jun 08, 2023  

G2E Asia 2023: Singapore

  • Konami taps market-tried slots to refresh Asia op offer
    Konami taps market-tried slots to refresh Asia op offer

    Jun 08, 2023  

    Gaming content and equipment maker Konami says it is...
  • L&W building game content across 3 pillars: Ken Jolly
    L&W building game content across 3 pillars: Ken Jolly

    Jun 07, 2023  

    Casino gaming content and hardware provider Light &...
  • ETGs rapid growth segment in Asia: Interblock Michael Hu
    ETGs rapid growth segment in Asia: Interblock Michael Hu

    Jun 06, 2023  

    Electronic table games (ETGs) supplier Interblock dd is...
  • GLI offering RNG test tools, cybersecurity demand growing
    GLI offering RNG test tools, cybersecurity demand growing

    Jun 05, 2023  

    Random number generator (RNG) testing tools are among the...
  • Alfastreet’s new Verso cabinet heading to Asian markets
    Alfastreet’s new Verso cabinet heading to Asian markets

    Jun 01, 2023  

    Alfastreet, a manufacturer of electronic gaming machines,...
  • Sega Sammy Creation growing land-based, eyes online
    Sega Sammy Creation growing land-based, eyes online

    Jun 01, 2023  

    Casino equipment maker Sega Sammy Creation Inc is tweaking...
  • iGaming growing in Asia, ops tackling challenges: Uplatform
    iGaming growing in Asia, ops tackling challenges: Uplatform

    Jun 01, 2023  

    The iGaming segment in Asia “has grown rapidly” since...
  • ‘See before you play’ slot marketing tool, say tech suppliers
    ‘See before you play’ slot marketing tool, say tech...

    May 31, 2023  

    Showing slot machine players – via animations on the...
  • Macau stocks tied to China outlook: Bloomberg analyst
    Macau stocks tied to China outlook: Bloomberg analyst

    May 31, 2023  

    Macau stocks in likelihood “have been punished too much...
  • Investors still eye possible fresh IR locations in Japan: scholar
    Investors still eye possible fresh IR locations in Japan:...

    May 31, 2023  

    There are foreign companies still interested in investing...
  • Thai casino law possible in 2024, IR in 2030: govt adviser
    Thai casino law possible in 2024, IR in 2030: govt adviser

    May 31, 2023  

    Thailand could pass the necessary enabling legislation for...
  • China still ‘critical’ to Asian markets: G2E Asia panel
    China still ‘critical’ to Asian markets: G2E Asia panel

    May 30, 2023  

    China will remain a key market for Asian gaming...
  • Much interest in state casinos sale, says Pagcor boss Tengco
    Much interest in state casinos sale, says Pagcor boss

    May 30, 2023  

    Alejandro Tengco (pictured in a file photo), chairman and...
  • Gaming industry in for a very exciting period: Bill Miller
    Gaming industry in for a very exciting period: Bill Miller

    May 30, 2023  

    There are “plenty of reasons” for the global gaming...
  • IGT flags route to high-performing games for Asia
    IGT flags route to high-performing games for Asia

    May 30, 2023  

    Gaming equipment provider International Game Technology Plc...
  • G2E Singapore trade show, conference begins today
    G2E Singapore trade show, conference begins today

    May 30, 2023  

    The Global Gaming Expo (G2E) Asia 2023 Special Edition:...
  • Novomatic’s Black Edition II cabinets at G2E in Singapore
    Novomatic’s Black Edition II cabinets at G2E in Singapore

    May 29, 2023  

    Austria-based gaming equipment maker and operator Novomatic...
  • Uplatform to show latest iGaming products at G2E Singapore
    Uplatform to show latest iGaming products at G2E Singapore

    May 25, 2023  

    Sports betting and online casino operating platform...
  • L&W ambition to be No1 in Asia well on its way: SVP gaming
    L&W ambition to be No1 in Asia well on its way: SVP...

    May 24, 2023  

    The business performance in Asia of gaming content and...
  • G2E Singapore expecting 6k visitors, 100+ exhibitors
    G2E Singapore expecting 6k visitors, 100+ exhibitors

    May 18, 2023  

    The organisers of Global Gaming Expo (G2E) Asia 2023...
  • ‘Dragon Unleashed’ slot link by L&W at G2E in Singapore
    ‘Dragon Unleashed’ slot link by L&W at G2E in...

    May 17, 2023  

    Gaming content and equipment supplier Light & Wonder...
  • Sega Sammy Creation new multi-ETG at G2E in Singapore
    Sega Sammy Creation new multi-ETG at G2E in Singapore

    May 16, 2023  

    Casino equipment maker Sega Sammy Creation Inc is to...
  • Aristocrat at G2E Asia in Singapore previews Year of Dragon
    Aristocrat at G2E Asia in Singapore previews Year of Dragon

    May 09, 2023  

    Casino slot machine and digital gaming content provider...
  • IGT ‘Prosperity’ link in Asia show debut G2E in Singapore
    IGT ‘Prosperity’ link in Asia show debut G2E in...

    May 05, 2023  

    The Global Gaming Expo (G2E) Asia event in Singapore is the...
  • Thai parliament adviser on casinos attending G2E Singapore
    Thai parliament adviser on casinos attending G2E Singapore

    May 04, 2023  

    An adviser to a Thailand parliamentary committee mulling...

Sign up to our FREE Newsletter

UB8V5.qr.16(Click here for more)

Pick of the Day

”I think the gaming sector has a huge potential in coming years. The situation around the pandemic drew a lot of attention from the casino operators to the ETG segment”

Michael Hu

President for the Asia-Pacific region at gaming supplier Interblock



Most Popular

  • Macau GGR in June hit by seasonal slowdown: JP MorganMacau GGR in June hit by seasonal slowdown: JP Morgan June 5, 2023
  • China Politburo meeting key for any policy shift: UBSChina Politburo meeting key for any policy shift: UBS June 7, 2023
  • Queen’s Wharf Brisbane opening delayed to April 2024Queen’s Wharf Brisbane opening delayed to April 2024 June 6, 2023

Copyright 2014-2023 TEAM Publishing and Consultancy Ltd / All rights reserved
  • Code of Ethics
  • Privacy Policy
  • Useful Links
  • Contact Us