Macau posted record revenues for May 2010. With gaming table caps introduced and a reform law in draft form, Macau continues to refine its regulatory framework since a new ceo has taken the helm of this special administrative region of China and regional competition has increased with the opening of resort casinos in Singapore.

Macau operator SJM has returned to the public markets in Hong Kong and looks likely to achieve a reduced US$654m float at the second time of asking. Documents supporting the fundraising suggest that a heightened competitive environment and junket commission worries are the cause of the shrunken expectations.

Indications that the Hong Kong Jockey Club (HKJC) may soon expand its betting offers across the internet are likely to send chills through some of Macau’s boardrooms.

With business booming on the baccarat tables of Macau, many visitors would probably be surprised to discover the SAR’s casino concessionaires are also permitted to run sports betting concessions on their premises but choose not to do so. However, the present reluctance over offering fixed odds betting might change ahead of a possible liberalisation in June next year that would allow in some new entrants.

VIP play in Macau continues to dominate the thoughts of investors because of its size and recent explosive growth but it is the mass market that will deliver long-term returns, according to new analysis.

Figures released for the first half of September have shown growth in Macau gaming revenues shuddering to a near halt. An unwelcome combination of visa restrictions and the wider economic crisis is to blame, according to analysts.

Macau’s most experienced VIP gaming operator, SJM Holdings, said yesterday it expected to see revenues from its wealthiest players dry up in the second half of this year as China’s property bubble deflates and players lose confidence in their economic futures.

The opening of the Ponte 16 casino along Macau’s western waterfront last week highlighted some of the many regulatory, logistical, and fiscal challenges the casino-driven city is currently encountering. It also offers the intriguing possibility of a Japanese investor–backed Pachinko industry becoming established in this region of China.

As it prepares to unveil first half results later this week, the beleaguered Macau casino operator Galaxy Entertainment Group Ltd confirmed that it is likely to make a substantial non-cash write-down of its intangible assets, including its Macau gaming license. The news comes after figures show that Galaxy has slipped to last place in terms of Macau market share.

With scant information forthcoming on the state of Stanley Ho’s health Macau’s rumour mill has begun to fill in the gaps, turning its attention to those best placed to take over – eventually – at the gaming magnate’s Sociedade de Jogos de Macau (SJM).