Your Daily Asia Gaming eBrief: Can casino operators mandate vaccinations?

Monday 30th of August 2021

Good morning. Until now, most casino companies have opted for an incentive approach to vaccinating their staff, but one operator, MGM Resorts, took the plunge to make it mandatory. How likely are we to see this happening in Asia, and what are the legal and social hurdles to be aware of? This morning, we take a Deep Dive into some of the issues that will face companies going along this route.

What you need to know

Galaxy Entertainment may be able to proceed with a casino on Boracay after Philippines President Rodrigo Duterte did a u-turn on his gambling ban on the island.
A "major Russian investor" has agreed to spend at least $142 million to build a casino and entertainment complex in the Primorye gambling zone.
POGOs who have exited the Philippines are finding safe harbor in Vietnam, Cambodia and Laos, according to the head of PAGCOR.
Genting said revenue for the first six days at its newly opened Resorts World Las Vegas came in at about $14.9 million, driven by "very strong" casino and food and beverage.

On the radar

Bruce Carter confirmed as non-executive director at Crown Resorts.
Macau GDP jumps 69.5%, boosted by export of gaming services.
World Series of Poker requiring full vaccination for 2021 event season.
New Zealand lockdown extended, Auckland could face 2-week extension.
India’s Nazara Technologies expands through the acquisition of OpenPlay.
Singapore says that 80% of the population has been fully vaccinated.
Metro Manila lockdown extended until at least September 7th.

What the papers say

Club 88 on Saipan delays closure ahead of clarity on tax proposals
HK police uncovers HKD30m money-laundering/bookmaking syndicate

AGB Intelligence

DEEP DIVE

Can casino operators mandate vaccinations?

Casino operators in Australia, Macau, and Singapore may find it challenging to move to impose mandatory vaccinations as a condition of employment without a clear directive from their government, according to industry lawyers. In the west, more companies are beginning to play with the idea of requiring mandatory vaccination. Last month, Google and Facebook rolled out “No Vax, No Entry” globally, starting with their own headquarters in Silicon Valley. However, experts say that the scheme is unlikely to be lawful in places such as Macau, Singapore and Australia, whose labor laws are geared towards the protection of workers’ rights.