The gambling meccas of Macau have been shuttered due to a spike in COVID-19 infections. The order was issued by the city’s top official, Ho Iat Seng, and will be in effect from the stroke of midnight on July 11th until the stroke of midnight on July 18th. This marks the first complete closure of Macau since the pandemic began, despite stringent travel restrictions that have been in place for the majority of that period.
The shutdown will impact all enterprises, with the exception of essential services. Macau has witnessed over 1,500 COVID-19 cases since June, with over 19,000 individuals placed under isolation. Although 90% of Macau’s inhabitants are inoculated, China and its special administrative regions persist in their “zero-COVID” approach.
Thus, even a moderately sized outbreak by Western norms can result in stringent government actions.
Macau is striving to recover from the financial setbacks brought about by the pandemic, so the region had already sanctioned significant changes to its gambling tax and licensing regulations prior to the recent surge in outbreaks.
Before the confinement, Macau’s gambling sector was already grappling with the repercussions of travel restrictions and other measures, with revenue in the initial six months of 2022 falling by over 80% compared to pre-pandemic levels.
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