Concession of sports betting operator Macau Slot extended for one year as government says local hiring must be prioritized
by Pierce Chan
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The Macao SAR Government has extended the concession of the city’s sole sports betting operator, Macau Slot Co Ltd, for one year. However, the government again specified that Macau Slot must prioritize hiring local employees and align with the government’s labor policies.
According to the content of the renewal published in the Official Gazette this week, Macau Slot’s concession will be extended until 5 June 2027.
The newly added clause by the government states, “Macau Slot Co Ltd shall prioritize the recruitment of local employees and actively cooperate with the Macao SAR Government to recruit and employ local workers through on-the-job training and compliance with government labor policies.”
The concession took effect as of 6 June 2026.
The Macau government first introduced a clause regarding the priority hiring of local employees in its contract with Macau Slot last year.
That clause said, “The SAR Government explicitly states that one of the conditions for the renewal is that Macau Slot must guarantee local employment as a priority and formulate a concrete plan to reduce foreign labor quotas.”
Macau Slot’s CEO, Stephen Ho, told IAG, “We welcome the decision of the Macao SAR Government to renew our license and appreciate the continued trust this reflects. We remain firmly committed to strict compliance, responsible sports betting operations and fulfilling our duties as a good corporate citizen in Macau. Building on our track record of cooperation with the authorities, we will continue to invest in local talent and innovation, and to align our business with the Macau Government’s policy objectives for a healthy, orderly and sustainable development of the sector.”
According to its most recent financial data, Macau Slot recorded a profit of MOP$130 million (US$16.1 million) in 2024, representing a slight increase of 5.5% compared to 2023.
Macau Slot has long been Macau’s monopoly sports betting provider, having been granted a franchise to accept betting on football in 1998 before adding basketball two years later. In 2002, when the Macao SAR Government was handing out concessions to casino operators, Macau Slot became the holder of Macau’s only sports betting concession – a concession it has held until today.
The company’s concession was exclusive until 2021 when it was renewed for three years on a “non-exclusive” basis. However, no other operators have since made any attempt to enter the local market.