China liaison officer says corrupt officials not behind Macau GGR slump

Wednesday 21st of January 2015

Li Gang, the director of China’s Government Liaison Office in Macau has downplayed the impact of the mainland’s drive to stamp out corruption on gambling revenue, saying “extremely few” corrupt mainland officials had gambled in the city.

He said he had heard nothing to suggest Beijing plans more measures to clampdown on corrupt officials gambling in Macau, or plans to investigate crimes involving mainlanders, local media reported him as saying.

“I constantly stress that Macau’s gaming industry should be further regulated to ensure it develops healthily and orderly..meanwhile the city’s economy should be diversified appropriately,” he said.

“The consecutive months of declines in the gross gaming revenues can be put down to several causes such as the slowdown in the growth of the mainland economy, the anti-corruption campaign in the mainland, more casinos opening in neighbouring regions...as well as its self adjustment,” he was cited as saying.

GGR has dropped every month since June creating the first annual decline in revenue since records began in their current form in 2002.

The government’s ongoing anti-corruption drive has been widely blamed for most of the drop off in the VIP sector, which has been the hardest hit, with high rollers unwilling to find themselves on Beijing’s radar for extravagant behaviour.

Li also said the Macau government should collect public opinion on the gaming industry as part of its mid-term review of the casino operators.