HZMB quota fee to benefit casino and junket operators

The designated quota fee for Macau-registered vehicles crossing the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macau bridge (HZMB) will likely be beneficial to casino and junket operators, says a Macau-based scholar.

Under the current plan from the Transport Bureau (DSAT), companies going for an HZMB license will need to pay an enrollment fee of MOP500 (US$62), and then another fee for the license, at MOP 30,000.

Jason Ni Cheng Meng, assistant professor from the Department of Architecture and Civil Engineering at the City University of Hong Kong said the high fees will likely deter small businesses.

Instead, companies such as casinos or junket operators, which ferry “high rollers” will likely be the ones able and willing to pay the fees.

Meng said it is currently not clear what attributes that DSAT will look at when deciding who will get a license, but noted that junket-owned vehicles such as limousines will fall under private registration within Macau, and will not need to compete with public vehicle quotas.

Currently, the TurboJET and CotaiJet are the main forms of transportation between Hong Kong and Macau, along with coach buses.

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