In the early days of Macau’s opening as a port, the gambling industry has already emerged. At that time, the gambling industry was mainly driven by construction workers, dock workers and domestic servants who migrated to Macau from mainland China. Since there was no legal supervision at that time, spinach stalls and spinach tables opened by spinach stalls, large and small, were all over the streets.
History of Gaming Development in Macau
After the neighboring port of Hong Kong was ceded to the British in 1842, Macau’s status as a trading port was gradually replaced by Hong Kong. In order to increase the source of taxation in Macau and the industrial diversification of the mainstream economy, the Macau Portuguese government officially legalized the Macau gaming industry for the first time in 1847. In the 1850s, there were more than 200 spinach restaurants playing “fantan” alone. By the late 19th century, the gaming industry had gradually developed, and gaming rates had become the main source of income for the government. Macau began to be famous for spinach and was known as the “Oriental Monte Carlo”.
In 1930, the “Hoxing Company”, which was dominated by members of Lu Jiu’s family, Fan Jiepeng and Fok Chiting, made a historic first bid for the franchise of all gambling games.
“Hoh Hing Company” has successively operated a gaming market in Xinma Road Central Hotel and the former site of Victoria Theatre (now Xinma Road Dafeng Bank).
“Hoh Hing Company” has made innovative improvements to Macau’s gaming industry and its surrounding supporting services, such as the magnificent decoration of the gaming field, setting up a stage, providing guests with free fruits, cigarettes, food, and purchasing ferry tickets on behalf of customers.
In 1932, the sport of dog racing and betting was first introduced to Macau by a group of overseas Chinese and American businessmen including Fan Jiepeng. They organized the “Macau Greyhound Racing Club” to build a greyhound racing track, the predecessor of the current “Yiyuan Greyhound Race Track”. But this new way of spinach was not too popular at the time.
Horse racing events in Macau appeared as early as 1842, but large-scale races were not held until 1927 by the “Macau International Horse Racing Association”, which had obtained the horse racing franchise at the time, at the newly built Black Sand Preta Racecourse.
In 1937, Macau’s gaming industry made a far-reaching reform. In that year, the Macau-Portugal government issued an order to centralize all gaming franchises and undertake unified investment.
In the end, “Taixing Company” headed by Fu Derong and Gao Kening won the bid. “Taixing Company” renovated the new Central Hotel on Xinma Road as its flagship gaming field, and introduced new gaming games such as baccarat (currently the most popular game in Macau).
Franchise ends, gambling rights open
In view of the expiry of the “Taixing Company” contract on December 31, 1961, Governor Ma Jishi and relevant departments promulgated Legislative Regulation No. 1496 in July of the same year, deciding that the legalized lucky lottery will be auctioned by public bidding. Granted to a special person to undertake. At that time, a new company composed of Hong Kong and Macau businessmen such as Ye Han, Ye Deli, Stanley Ho and Fok Yingdong and the original licensed “Taixing Company” participated in the bidding.
Finally, the new consortium obtained the franchise rights to operate casinos, ticket shops, mountain tickets and white pigeon tickets. In August of the same year, Indonesian overseas Chinese Zheng Junbao applied to the government for the resumption of greyhound racing activities.
A new franchise company consisting of Ye Han, Ye Deli, Stanley Ho and Fok Yingdong was registered in 1962 and named “Macau Tourism and Entertainment Co., Ltd.” (“Macau Entertainment” for short). The first casino “New Garden Casino” opened in the same year, starting its 40-year lucky spinach franchise. The flagship businesses “Hotel Lisboa” and “Casino Lisboa” were completed and opened in 1970. From its opening to 1982, “Australian Entertainment” has been allowed to operate more than ten forms of gambling as stipulated by the law, including popular forms of gambling such as Fan Tan, Baccarat, Craps, Sic Bo, Blackjack and Slots.
In 1980, Ip Han established the “Macau Turf Club”, which introduced horse racing, but unfortunately it was not popular.
“Taiwan Zhenwei Investment Development Co., Ltd.” acquired the “Macau Turf Club” in the same year, transformed it into a flat racecourse, and held the first day of racing in September 1989.
After the opening of the Macau Racecourse, it was affected by various unfavorable factors, and financial difficulties occurred within one year of opening. In the end, “Macao Entertainment” raised 1 billion yuan to acquire the “Macau Jockey Club” and continued to operate. The event resumed in February 1991.
In 1998, “Australian Entertainment” introduced a Japanese-style pinball game machine. In the same year, “Macau Lottery Co., Ltd.” was approved by the government to accept football betting betting, just in time for the 1998 World Cup. Macau Entertainment has actively expanded its business scope, making it the largest player in the Macau gaming industry.
The “Macao Entertainment” franchise period was also the period when the Macau gaming franchise system entered a mature and prosperous period.
Before Macau’s return to China, the society had already made many discussions and studies at different levels on the feasibility of opening up gambling rights after the return. In fact, the Macau-Portugal government has also considered and prepared to break the monopoly of lucky spinach. Among them, Law No. 10/86/M passed by the Legislative Council in 1986 has stipulated that “the maximum number granted under the special license system is three”.
On December 21, 1999, the day after the establishment of the Macau Special Administrative Region, the Chief Executive, Ho Hau Wah, announced that he would invite a consulting firm with international gaming experience to study the prospects of Macau’s gaming industry. In July 2000, the “Macau Gaming Commission”, which was responsible for studying the development, laws, administrative regulations and policies of the gaming industry in Macau, was formally established. The committee held its first meeting in August of the same year and decided to hire Arthur Andersen, a consulting firm, to study the development of Macau’s gaming industry and provide professional advice to the government.
In August 2001, the Macau Legislative Council passed Law No. 16/2001 to open up the gaming industry, namely the “Legal System for Casino Lucky Gaming Operations”, which stipulates the licensing system, operating conditions, bidding and licensing companies’ business models, shareholders and companies. Major projects such as management personnel qualifications and gambling tax have made principles-based regulations. The Macao SAR Government has decided to issue three contracts after the fortune spinach franchise contract of “Macao Entertainment” expires on December 31, 2001, which will inject new impetus into Macao’s economic development and lay a solid foundation for long-term sustainable development. The Macau SAR government’s policy direction is “to take the gaming industry as the leader, the service industry as the main body, and the coordinated development of other industries”.
As a supplement to Law No. 16/2001, on October 26, 2001, the Chief Executive, Mr. Ho Hau Wah, signed Administrative Regulation No. 26/2001, namely “Regulating Open Bidding, Granting Contracts, and Participating in Bidding for the Operation of Casino Lucky Games” Appropriate Qualifications and Financial Requirements for Companies and Grantee Companies”, which specifies the entire bidding process. On October 30 of the same year, the Chief Executive set up an 8-member “Casino Lucky Casino Business Approval Initial Open Auction Committee” through instructions to review the qualifications of bidding companies and make recommendations to the Chief Executive for the approval of operating contracts.
In accordance with Administrative Regulation No. 26/2001, the committee officially launched the bidding and bidding work on November 2; before the closing date for bids, that is, on December 7, 2001, a total of 21 bids were received, of which 3 companies did not comply with the regulations The documents required by the exchange were made up within the time limit, so it was not possible to enter the subsequent stage. The funds of the companies submitting bids mainly come from Macau, Hong Kong, the United States, Malaysia, Australia, the United Kingdom and Taiwan, and many of them belong to large international gaming groups.
On December 31, 2001, due to the failure to approve 3 betting contracts as scheduled, “Macau Tourism and Entertainment Co., Ltd.”, the only company in Macau holding the franchise of betting, was granted a 3-month extension period after midnight.
On February 8, 2002, the Macau SAR government announced the results of the bidding, granting the casino lucky lottery operation rights to the newly formed “Macau Gaming Corporation” (“SJM”), “Macau Gaming Corporation” (“SJM”) and “Macau Gaming Corporation”. Galaxy Casino Co., Ltd. (“Galaxy”) and “Wynn Resorts (Macau) Co., Ltd.” (“Wynn”).
On March 28, June 24 and June 26, 2002 respectively, the SAR Government signed the “Macau SAR Casino Lucky Spinach or Other Ways of Gaming Operation Concession with SJM”, “Wynn” and “Galaxy” contract”. In December of the same year, the SAR government and “Galaxy” revised the contract signed by both parties.
Mainly because of the change in the cooperative relationship between “Galaxy” and “The Venetian Group” (referred to as “The Venetian”) and the approval of “The Venetian” to operate the lucky gaming business in Macau by way of “sub-concession” under the “Galaxy”. Revise. After that, “SJM” and “Wynn” also successively cooperated with “MGM Grand Paradise Co., Ltd.” (referred to as “MGM”) and “New MGM” on April 20, 2005 and September 8, 2006, respectively. Melco Crown Gaming (Macau) Co., Ltd.” (“Melco Crown”) signed a sub-concession contract. So far, Macau has wholesaled three original spinach brands and three second spinach brands.
When the bidding results were announced, except for “SJM”, the other gaming companies that had just won the operating contracts needed time to prepare and build casinos and supporting facilities, and could not operate immediately. In May 2004, “The Venetian” opened its first casino, the Sands Casino, which is the first gaming project in Asia invested and developed by a US-funded company.
In July of the same year, Galaxy Huadu Casino, the first casino invested and built by “Galaxy”, also opened. Wynn’s casino hotel held its groundbreaking ceremony in June of the same year and opened in September 2006. In September 2006, “Melco Crown” officially took over the operation of “Mocha Slot Casino”, and its first lucky casino – Crown Macau (renamed as Altira Macau) opened in May 2007; In December of the same year, the casino hotel under “MGM” was also fully operational.
As of the end of 2016, there were 38 lucky casinos in Macau. Of these, 23 are located on the Macau Peninsula, while the remaining 15 are located in Taipa. Among the total number of casinos, SJM has 20, Galaxy has 6, Venetian has 5, Melco Crown has 4, Wynn has 2 and Megaco Mei” occupies 1 casino.
Some things Las Vegas casinos don’t want you to know
1. Most people lose money most of the time; a lot of money. Check out these beautiful grand casinos built by people who “donate” money! As someone who lives there, I ask you to keep doing this because you are helping me keep my taxes low.
2. There are so many slot machines because they are a great way to make money for the casino.
3. If you smuggled in an extra $5 chip after your “allowed” bet, you’re just buying yourself a crime for the cheap price of only $5. Under state law, stealing from a casino is a felony of any level/amount. If that’s not enough, you get a lifetime ban from all Las Vegas casinos – everything; shows, restaurants, hotels, etc. Oh, and the old expression “they can sue you”? In Vegas they will sue you. The casino’s favorite tactic is to approach the “suspect” on the floor with overwhelming force in front of everyone, then handcuff you so everyone gets the information that the casino is watching. [wait. This is what the casino wants you to know. ]
4. Do you know those bets in the middle of the craps table? Do you know why they are so big and bright? Because these bets are fool’s bets; that means the risk far outweighs the reward.
5. When you get a player card (which you should), the casino builds a database on you. If you think Google knows a lot about you, casinos are just that, they use sophisticated facial recognition software that pulls your activity/movement as you go there every day.
6. Casinos operate on the premise that you are trying to blackmail them. You’re trying to do things that others have already done before you and the casino learn from them. Advice: Someone smarter/smarter than you teach the casino what to do and they will catch you.
7. The Casino reserves the right to “request” you to leave the Casino for any reason or for undisclosed reasons.
8. The dealer watches you when you play table games; the same supervisor; the pit boss and the camera on the ceiling. BTW: they are very good at it.
9. Casinos want you to win every once in a while — especially the first time. You know the more you play, the more you win. Remember: the casino sets the rules of the game and sets the payout percentage. Who do you think you like more? Not you, Baco. This is pure math. You win and you lose too.
10. I forgot to mention something disgusting. The chips you touch are dirtier than the toilet seat at the Greyhound bus stop in downtown Chicago. Wash your hands after handling a pile of things. Casinos never wash them and people spit, sneeze and even vomit at them.
