Only 378 smoking rooms approved for casinos in Macau

The Macau Health Bureau approved 378 requests from casinos for the commissioning of smoking rooms. This was reported by the Macau News Agency.

At the same time, 127 requests out of a total of 505, the Bureau has so far left unanswered.

Explaining the fact that not all requests were approved, representatives of the Health Bureau stated that the administration of the respective casinos did not provide all the necessary documents in time. In addition, according to the fire brigade, some of them could not eliminate the deficiencies in the premises that are planned to be used for these purposes.

“There were also applicants who, on their own initiative, canceled applications for the creation of smoking rooms,” - the agency added.

According to the Health Bureau, requests are accepted within 90 days, provided that the necessary documents are submitted and the casino meets all other requirements.

Smoking in the gambling facilities of Macau was first banned in 2014, with the exception of specially designated closed areas. In January 2018, this ban was extended to VIP rooms, but the casinos received an additional year to bring the premises into compliance. Objects must have permits if they want customers to smoke on the premises.

On January 3rd, a scuffle broke out at the Galaxy Macau casino when a police officer asked three people to stop smoking in a non-smoking area. At some point, the officer pulled out a pistol and made a warning shot. Galaxy Entertainment Group is one of the operators who did not apply for new halls.

SJM Holdings, Grand Lisboa and MGM China Holdings, MGM Cotai are still awaiting approval of their requests. Other facilities - SJM, Casino Lisboa and Casino Oceanus - have not yet received permission.

Brokerage company Sanford C. Bernstein believes that casinos without rooms for smoking, in particular, SJM, lose to competitors, she refers to data on the reduction in gross game revenue (GGR) in a special administrative region where the ban is imposed.