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Macau’s mountain to climb

Ben Blaschke, Managing Editor, Inside Asian Gaming

IAG’s sister company, O MEDIA, held a luncheon in mid-May at which it announced the establishment of a new brand called “Access Macau.”

The brand aims to serve as a market entry facilitator for companies looking to do business in Macau, and specifically those who believe they have something to offer the city’s concessionaires in fulfilling their diversification pledge.

You may recall that, as part of the tender process for the granting of new 10-year gaming concessions in 2022, the six successful concessionaires agreed to spend a combined US$13.5 billion on diversification – or non-gaming – initiatives during the concession period. That figure later rose to US$16.3 billion in accordance with a clause that upped total spend once Macau’s annual GGR surpassed MOP$180 billion (US$22.3 billion). Naturally, the industry surpassed the MOP$180 billion mark at its first attempt in 2023.

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Former MGM China executive Hubert Wang to join Sands China Ltd as COO

Inside Asian Gaming - 29 May 2026

Former MGM China President and COO Hubert Wang will join Sands China Ltd (SCL) as its new Chief Operating Officer. An internal memo from the company’s CEO and President Grant Chum first revealed the news to staff on Friday, with Wang to join the SCL Executive Committee and oversee gaming and resort operations, market development, international marketing, loyalty marketing, strategic analysis, and property operations. He will officially start in the role from 1 June 2026. Wang, who departed MGM in December after 14 years, returns to his old stomping ground, having been part of the opening team at The Venetian Macao in 2007 and Marina Bay Sands in Singapore in 2010. Wang was ranked 28th on IAG’s 2025 Asian Gaming Power 50 list. (BB)

“I’m not selling”: Kjerulf Ainsworth vows to continue shareholder fight with Ainsworth parent Novomatic after AGM win

Inside Asian Gaming - 27 May 2026

In an exclusive interview with Inside Asian Gaming following the company’s Annual General Meeting last week, Kjerulf Ainsworth – the second largest shareholder in Australian slot machine supplier Ainsworth Game Technology (AGT) and son of company founder Len Ainsworth – insisted he was not interested in selling his stake in the company. He also intends to continue challenging AGT’s leadership team and its majority owner Novomatic for what he describes as ongoing mismanagement and a series of controversies related to Novomatic’s ownership team.

Specifically, Kjerulf has promised to pursue legal action against AGT’s non-executive chairperson Danny Gladstone and CFO Mark Ludski for AU$15 million (US$10.7 million) in payments they received in 2018 following the sale of a controlling stake in the company by Len Ainsworth to Novomatic. 

Kjerulf was successful during the AGM in having two resolutions put forward by Novomatic – including proposed amendments to the constitution relating to disclosure of director interests and another to renew proportional takeover provisions – defeated. Another he backed, the appointment of former AGT CEO Lawrence Levy return as a non-executive director, fell well short with just 25.19% of votes. (BB)

MGM’s Kenneth Feng: Macau suites yield up to five times more than a regular hotel room

Inside Asian Gaming - 13 May 2026

MGM China’s CEO Kenneth Feng has revealed that the company’s suite products typically yield up to five times more than a regular hotel room. The comments, made during a panel session at G2E Asia, go a long way to explaining why all of Macau’s concessionaires have been busy converting hotel rooms to larger suites. MGM itself recently announced the launch of 63 new suites at MGM COTAI following a year-long conversion, with plans to launch 100 more at MGM MACAU in the near future.


While suite conversion also means a reduction in total room count in a market where a lack of rooms is an ongoing concern, Feng also spoke of finding the right balance. “No doubt, Macau wants the gaming industry to grow healthily [but] in order to [fulfill] more non-gaming [commitments], of course, we need to be more profitable. It’s a balance,” he said.

MGM has been the biggest winner in the Macau market post-COVID, increasing its market share from below 10% to above 16% thanks to its player reinvestment strategy and extensive improvements made at its Cotai and peninsula integrated resorts. (BB)

Wynn to develop new 432-key all-suite hotel The Enclave at Wynn Palace

Inside Asian Gaming - 8 May 2026

Speaking of Macau’s room count, Wynn Macau Ltd revealed in its 1Q26 earnings release that it will develop a brand-new 432-key all-suite hotel on land it holds alongside its flagship Cotai integrated resort Wynn Palace. To be known as The Enclave, the hotel will be located directly adjacent to the east entrance of Wynn Palace and will increase the property’s total room count by around 25% and its suite offering by 50% at a cost of between US$900 million and US$950 million.

Wynn Resorts CEO Craig Billings described the addition of The Enclave as a no-brainer after seeing Wynn Palace achieve 99.1% hotel occupancy in 1Q26 and 99.7% occupancy at peninsula property Wynn Macau. Billings also projected that the new hotel would bring in around US$400 million in revenue annually assuming an average room rate of US$2,500, with Adjusted EBITDA forecast at between US$150 million to US$175 million. Construction is slated to take two-and-a-half years, suggesting an early 2029 opening. (BB)

PAGCOR imposes new caps on player rebate and cashback programs to level online gaming playing field

Inside Asian Gaming - 10 May 2026

Philippine gaming regulator PAGCOR has announced the implementation of new guidelines governing cash rebate and cashback programs offered by online gaming operators, imposing caps on the incentives licensees are permitted to extend to players. PAGCOR’s Electronic Gaming Licensing Department (EGLD) revealed by way of a memo that a maximum rebate of 1.5% of player turnover – calculated as gross bets placed – or deposit will apply for slot games, electronic bingo games, numeric games and sports betting. Alternatively, operators may offer up to 15% of a player’s net losses for all types of electronic games.

For electronic game categories not covered by the above thresholds, the EGLD will evaluate individual proposals and determine appropriate rates on a case-by-case basis, taking into consideration the return-to-player (RTP) of each game before issuing approval. The implementation of any cash rebate or cashback program without prior regulatory approval will be subject to regulatory action.

The new guidelines are understood to be designed to level the playing field in a market where larger, more heavily capitalized operators have been able to offer significantly more generous rebate programs to attract and retain players – effectively pricing smaller competitors out through promotional spending alone. (BB)

Cambodia designates combat of casinos running scam operations as top priority amid concerns around global reputation

Inside Asian Gaming - 5 May 2026

Following immense global pressure, including from the U.S. government, Cambodia has designated the combat of online scams as a top priority and promised to crack down on any casino locations conducting such activities in the wake of international criticism of the Kingdom’s controls. The Royal Government of the Kingdom of Cambodia said the reason for designating the fight against scam operators as a top priority was because these were “directly linked to social security, public safety and the nation’s reputation on the international stage.” It would, therefore, “continue to strictly and carefully implement the Royal Government Command … by maintaining cooperation with the Secretariat of the Ad Hoc Commission for Combating Online Scams and with relevant authorities to conduct operations, inspections and searches without exception at any casino locations.”

The action comes after global human rights organization Amnesty International recently accused the Cambodian gaming regulator of licensing multiple casino complexes despite direct recent evidence of severe human rights abuses having taken place within their confines, while the U.S. Department of the Treasury last month sanctioned a Cambodian senator as well as 28 individuals and entities in his network for defrauding American citizens via multiple scam compounds he is alleged to control from casinos and other buildings he owns across the country. (BB)

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