The contest for downstate New York’s commercial casino licenses has shrunk to just three bidders: Resorts World New York City, Bally’s Corporation, and the joint Steve Cohen / Hard Rock International proposal. This follows the surprising exit of MGM Resorts, which withdrew its bid for a full casino at its Empire City Casino in Yonkers.
A retail outlet in Macau that sells cigarettes and liquor was recently raided after authorities uncovered illegal money exchange operations amounting to MOP 6.3 million. According to local reports, the store was facilitating unlicensed currency swaps—effectively operating as an underground exchanger that violates Macau’s stricter rules on gaming-related money flows.
Macau’s VIP baccarat segment delivered a standout performance in the third quarter of 2025, with gross gaming revenue (GGR) climbing by 29.1% year-on-year to MOP 16.9 billion (≈ US$2.11 billion). Sequentially, VIP GGR also nudged higher by 3.4%. Meanwhile, the mass-market segment advanced more modestly—rising 7.1% year-on-year and 2.6% quarter-on-quarter to MOP 36.5 billion. This dual growth contributed to a total industry GGR of MOP 62.7 billion, up 12.5% year-on-year and 2.4% from Q2.
Macau’s casino resorts are scheduled to host over 60 shows during the fourth quarter (October–December) of 2025, according to GGRAsia’s tally. This marks a notable decline from the nearly 100 offerings staged across Macau properties in the third quarter—reflecting both scheduling pullbacks and shifts in priority amid major national events.
Galaxy Entertainment Group (GEG) has just renewed a three-year strategic cooperation agreement with Damai Entertainment (an Alibaba-affiliated ticketing and live-events arm) and Macau Pass to further deepen their collaboration in ticketing, marketing, and cultural programming in Macau. Under the renewed deal, the partners will co-host a variety of events — from concerts, musicals, stage plays, immersive theatre, exhibitions to sporting events — and they intend to integrate membership systems and bolster hardware and software infrastructure for ticketing systems.
Author: Janice Chew • Friday, 17/10/2025
