Japan’s national government has approved a draft 5.4 percent year-on-year increase in the annual budget for the Japan Casino Regulatory Commission (JCRC) for the 2026 financial year, lifting the total to JPY 3.91 billion (about US$25.0 million) from roughly JPY 3.71 billion in 2025. The move underscores continued emphasis on strengthening the country’s casino regulation framework as integrated resort development proceeds.
The NBA has officially announced that it will bring its pre-season basketball spectacle back to Macau in October 2026, continuing its expanded global footprint following the successful NBA China Games in 2025. According to multiple sources, the Dallas Mavericks and Houston Rockets are scheduled to play two pre-season games at The Venetian Arena on October 9 and October 11, 2026, in what is being billed as a “Texas showdown” at the heart of the NBA’s renewed endeavors in Asia.
Black Spade Acquisition III Co, a special purpose acquisition company (SPAC) sponsored by an affiliate of Black Spade Capital — the family office and private investment vehicle tied to Melco Resorts & Entertainment’s Chairman and CEO Lawrence Ho — has priced its initial public offering (IPO), aiming for a New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) debut on 6 January 2026. The offering consists of 15 million units priced at US$10 each, targeting gross proceeds of about US$150 million. Each unit includes one Class A ordinary share and one-third of a redeemable warrant, with whole warrants exercisable at US$11.50 per share once trading separately.
Vietnam’s Grand Ho Tram integrated resort has officially opened its casino to qualified Vietnamese citizens as of Monday, 5 January 2026, marking a major shift in the country’s tightly controlled gaming landscape. The resort confirmed that eligible local guests can now access the gaming floor in compliance with a refreshed five-year pilot programme authorised by the Vietnamese government, a move that broadens regulated domestic participation beyond foreign visitors.
SJM Holdings Ltd has moved to proactively manage its balance sheet by offering to repurchase a portion of its senior notes due in January 2026, while simultaneously proposing the issuance of new US-dollar-denominated senior notes as part of a broader debt refinancing exercise. The move underscores the Macau concessionaire’s intention to smooth near-term maturities and extend its debt profile at a time when financing conditions remain selective for gaming operators. The proposal is aimed at bondholders of the existing notes, offering liquidity and flexibility ahead of the upcoming maturity window.
Author: Janice Chew • Tuesday, 06/01/2026
