South Korea-based Paradise Co Ltd, a leading operator of foreigner-only casinos, revealed that its December 2025 casino sales reached approximately KRW 75.42 billion (US$52.1 million), marking a 7.6 % year-on-year increase, according to a regulatory filing with the Korea Exchange. While the December figure declined slightly 5.4 % sequentially from November, the overall annual performance remained strong. Paradise Co’s full-year 2025 casino sales climbed about 9.9 % over 2024, demonstrating sustained growth in a competitive market environment.
Macau’s Judiciary Police (PJ) have dismantled a criminal ring involved in using counterfeit casino chips to defraud gamblers, arresting four men who admitted participating in the scheme. Officers seized 128 fake chips, each marked with a HK$10,000 denomination, during coordinated actions at casinos in Cotai and the New Port area. Three gamblers reported losses totalling around HK$210,000 from exchanging the bogus chips for cash, though the casinos themselves did not record direct losses as a result of the fraud.
Estoril-Sol, Portugal’s leading land-based casino operator, has declined to participate in the public tender for the casino concession in Póvoa de Varzim, effectively abandoning its bid to retain the licence for the property. The company’s subsidiary, Varzim Sol – Turismo, Jogo e Animação, SA, did not submit a proposal by the deadline, according to a filing with the Portuguese Securities Market Commission (CMVM). As a result, Estoril-Sol has temporarily retained operating rights through a government-approved extension, while authorities evaluate bids from other interested parties.
Melco Resorts & Entertainment has announced a HKD 3 million donation to support rural development in Xiushui County, Jiangxi Province, aligning with China’s national rural revitalization policy. The contribution will specifically fund the construction and relocation of the Hangkou Town Healthcare Center, improving medical services for local residents and neighbouring communities. The facility is expected to serve approximately 100,000 people, with an estimated outpatient volume of 40,000 and inpatient volume of 2,500, enhancing healthcare access in this rural area.
Japan’s ruling coalition has again confirmed that it plans not to tax casino winnings earned by non-residents at the country’s upcoming integrated resorts (IRs), reinforcing a stance aimed at boosting tourism and making Japan competitive with other major gaming hubs. This policy goal was outlined on December 19, 2025 by the Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) and its junior partner, the Japan Innovation Party, in their proposed tax reform framework for fiscal 2026 — ahead of the first casino opener in Osaka scheduled for autumn 2030.
Author: Janice Chew • Monday, 05/01/2026
