TESTIMONIALS

Macau memories

Gambling has a long history in Macau, dating back to about 1850 when rulers in the Portuguese trading post decided to legalise gambling to generate more revenue.

For more than one hundred years there was little growth, with the fragmented market consisting mainly of an assortment of fantan houses.

The first real revolution came in 1962 when the government awarded the monopoly to Stanley Ho’s Sociedad de Turismo e Diversoes de Macau. Known as the King of Gambling, Ho introduced western-style games and modernised the transport service between Macau and Hong Kong, bringing millions of gamers into the territory.

In 2002, history took another turn when the government, again seeking more revenue after a period of economic instability and triad wars, liberalised the market and awarded the six concessions. What happened next is now common knowledge, with the market exploding to become the world’s largest gambling hub.

In this section of our 20th anniversary edition of Asia Gaming Briefings, we ask some of the people who helped build the modern Macau to take a trip down memory lane and write about their early experiences.

They share their first impressions of what was back then a far sleepier city, together with the biggest changes that they have witnessed in the evolution of gaming in Macau. They tell us some of their “only in Macau” moments and look into the crystal ball to see where it’s heading over the next 20 years.

Herman Ng|CEO and Executive Director, Asia Pioneer Entertainment

When did you arrive in Macau, and in what capacity?

I grew up in Macau, and I went to the United States to study when I was 16. After I graduated, I came back to Macau in 1996. After that, I took a job as an arcade operations manager in an arcade games center. By that time, I had met a bunch of Japanese guys in the industry.

After 1999, the Macau government started to open up the gaming licenses, and my Japanese business colleagues asked me to start distributing some Japanese gaming products to Macau. I didn’t have any knowledge of gaming at the time and I thought it was a similar thing as arcade games, so I started doing it all together. My company was called Japan Pioneer Entertainment.

What were your first impressions?

At the beginning, there were not many slot machines in the market and many opportunities to bring new products to Macau. At that time, it was a monopoly by SJM so the gaming industry was very closed and the most important sector for the industry was junkets.

What are the biggest changes you have seen in your section of theindustry?

The most important change is that there are more varied qualified electronic gaming products under mature regulations. Everything is black and white. It is part of the top level of gaming in the world. It is more challenging for new manufacturers to enter into this market.

What have you found most challenging, or memorable?

In 2017, APE listed on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange. It was a great moment.

Getting to that point was quite a difficult job but everything was on time. In a way I can say it was lucky in that everything was fate that it was all on time and perfect.

We could definitely embrace the opportunities of investment and business.

How are you expecting Macau to evolve in the next 20 years?

Macau is one of the most significant cities in the Greater Bay Area (GBA). The whole region has about 70 million inhabitants and a gross domestic productof about US$1.3 billion. We could definitely embrace the opportunities of investment and business. At the same time, it will also be challenging in the next 20 years if Macau still treats gaming as its core business. Resorts are looking into more entertaining activities and building leisure facilities to prepare for the coming challenge. I hope the next step is that IRs and the government increase talent in the hospitality field and create another strong industry other than casinos to attract tourists to stay longer in Macau.

Andrew Billany | CEO Inspire, Entertainment Resort

When did you arrive in Macau, and in what capacity?

I arrived in Macau with the pre-opening team for Sands in 2004, at that time overseeing all the non-gaming elements of the operations.

What were your first impressions?

Well, having survived the madness of the immigration and Jeftfoil crush on the way over from Hong Kong in those days, my first impressions of Macau were that it was tranquil, apart from the old embassy bar. I remember being impressed with the history in Macau, that mix of Portuguese colonial culture, fusion cuisine and oriental charm. Very different from the fast and the furious era of today

In 2004 there were very few cars or buses, definitely no supercars and very few expatriates. Before we opened the Sands, to get a good steak, we used to take the ferry to HK and eat at Ruth Christie’s steak house.

Macau back then had none of the ultra consumerism that you see today.

What are the most significant changes you have seen in your section of the industry?

The overall shift in the players’ visitor profiles, they are younger, coming from further afield and more affluent. They want to be entertained and appreciated. They expect larger rooms, quality linens, great F&B, offered a variety of entertainment options with world class service, for themselves and now even their families.

What have you found most challenging or memorable?

The journey; pre and post the “Sands Effect,” having been involved with some of the most renowned Integrated Resort companies on the planet, and it all took place in such a short period. It was a once in a lifetime opportunity for learning and growth.

Can you share a curious/ funny episode that could only have happened in Macau?

We once had a customer who, over a period of one year, lost US$60 million, never stayed in his comped suite, never ate at the best restaurants we booked for him, and only drank watermelon juice at the table while playing. Only in Macau.

How are you expecting Macau to evolve in the next 20 years?

While not in possession of a crystal ball, Macau, because of its proximity to China and favorable travel policies, will always be a preferred gaming destination with ever-expanding nongaming amenities.

By all forecasts, China will remain the principal source of Asia travelers and GGR because it reflects not only the growing desire of the Chinese to travel given the emergence of the middle classes but also their higher propensity to gamble.

Twenty years from now, the value proposition that drives GGR today (player budgets, accessibility, casino experience, and attractions) will have changed, but I’m sure Macau will be at the forefront of those changes.

Emily Io | Senior VP Sales, Walker Digital Table Systems

When did you arrive in Macau, and in what capacity?

I returned to Macau from the U.S. in March 2003 seeking opportunities, but certainly had not expected to settle for over a decade and a half now. I had chosen the public sector, in investor relations at the Trade and Investment Promotion Institute as a civil servant. It became a gateway to the gaming industry and more so for suppliers opening up unlimited potential of a career path.

What were your first impressions?

At that time, job opportunities were quite limited to the public sector, SJM and banks.

What are the biggest changes you have seen in your section of the industry?

Over the years, since gaming liberalization, I have witnessed the evolution of table games from the acrylic shoe, handwritten trend sheet and plastic chip to the intelligent shoe, trend board display, automatic shuffler and ultimately PJM technology for casino chips and the Perfect Pay platform for baccarat tables.

What have you found most challenging, or memorable?

Macau has transitioned from the SJM-dominant local operation to an international gaming hub topping not just the GGR of Las Vegas, but superseding the performance in various aspects of the gaming operators in Asia Pacific. It has always been challenging and will be more challenging as competition from the likes of Singapore, Vietnam and perhaps Japan in the future, continues to rise with mega IR projects and casinos.

Share a curious/ funny episode that could only have happened in Macau?

That in Macau, with a population of over half a million on soil of less than 50mi², the Venetian Macau is two fold the size of The Venetian Las Vegas. The Eiffel Tower is only half the size of the actual Eiffel Tower. It has made it to the 2nd in the world by nominal GDP per capita, all because of the liberalization of the gaming industry that happened less than two decades ago.

How are you expecting Macau to evolve in the next 20 years?

To continue to be an industry leader, Macau will require more regulatory and policy enforcement by the relevant governing entities to ensure that the infrastructure of the city is more connected to the Greater Bay Area and the city continues to help develop the local population by diversifying talents in conjunction with the continued growth of the gaming industry.

Chris Rogers | Founder and CEO, East2West Solutions

When did you arrive in Macau, and in what capacity?

I have been travelling to Macau since about 2003 and moved permanently in 2006 with my wife. We have been in Macau pretty much permanently since then, moving up there in a corporate business and moving out of the corporate world with my own businesses.

What was your first impression of Macau?

There’s not a lot there. It was a monopoly. There was a lot of talk about what it could be, but no one really knew. When we got there Sands was on the cards, but it was more about trying to find out what the regulation was going to be, what the operating protocol for machines was going to be. Was it going to be U.S, or Australia oriented? Macau in the early days was influenced a lot by Australians, there were a lot of Australians working in Macau.

What’s the biggest changes you have seen?

The biggest change in Macau has been on a number of fronts. Regulatory, it’s become a lot more regulated and not just in gaming but in Macau itself. When we got there, there weren’t many rules or guidelines to follow. It was a very much a Wild West situation. From the technology point of view, there has been a huge amount of technology being adopted into Macau, simply because the market has matured. The other big change is that the customer base coming to Macau has matured. It’s educated now, so their expectations are much higher. When it first opened, many, many people who were coming in were seeing slot machines from different regions that hadn’t been seen before. There were only five table games when Macau opened. The operators didn’t want to entertain anything else because when they opened their doors they were just making so much money. They didn’t have to differentiate. The ability to enter new technology and products was difficult, both from an operating and regulatory point of view.

What did you find most challenging/memorable?

All the Macau-isms. Terms like “cannot.” In the early days, the first thing that anyone would say to you was “cannot.” You’d go into a restaurant and say can I move that chair and they’d say “cannot,” you go to the bank and someone says “cannot.” Macau-isms are just why is it like that..because it’s Macau. The fact you still need a chopped document, the fact that when you need a document notarised you can only get it done in Portuguese and Chinese. The casino sector has been on steroids for ten years, but when you look at the rest of Macau, it’s only now starting to catch up. It’s a Macau-ism.

How are you expecting Macau to evolve in the next 20 years?

I think the government will try to encourage Macau to become less reliant on gaming. I don’t think it will be that successful, but they will make a concerted effort. Macau will become part of the Greater Bay Area and there will be more continuity between Macau and China. That opens up opportunities outside of gaming. Technology will come into play, things like AI. From a gaming point of view, you have another three years of build out. I’d say by 2025, the gaming growth in terms of infrastructure will stop. The focus will be on delivering results on the current assets.

Constance Hsu | Chief Operating Officer, Jin Bei Group

When did you arrive in Macau, and in what capacity?

I came to Macau in 2003 for the Mocha Clubs project as Financial Controller in charge of finance, treasury, audit, legal compliance, procurement and human resources. Being the pre-opening team, I also participated in the negotiation of the T&C for new sites, determination of product mix, marketing strategy and etc.

What were your first impressions?

It was a cozy place with delicious Portuguese food, seafood, noodles and snacks, and amazing heritage buildings and sightseeing spots. Especially people here were very friendly.

What are the biggest changes you have seen in your section of the industry?

There are many more games tailor-made for this market with preferred volatility and bonus features. Players are getting more sophisticated.

What have you found most challenging, or memorable?

Mocha Clubs was the pioneer to bring the transformational evolution that introduced club-style electronic gaming entertainment to Macau, offering a coffee shop-style atmosphere for patrons. During Stanley Ho’s 40-year Macau casino monopoly (which officially ended in 2002), slot machines were housed either on the way out of the tables areas to catch players’ loose change, or in cheap and cheerful parlours with relatively antiquated machines. Today, Mocha is known for having a slick player rewards scheme and one of the best returns to player on its machines in the whole of Macau. Mocha has become the leading non-casinobased electronic gaming chain with multiple locations across peninsula Macau and Taipa.

Also, Mocha Clubs was the first to introduce electronic table games in Macau and Asia.

Share a curious/funny episode that could only have happened in Macau?

When I reached out to the several EGMs manufacturers for the first time in 2003, most of them had not heard of Macau or were not aware of where Macau was. (Note: Before gaming liberalization, there were only approximately 800+ slot machines in Macau, which were purchased through a distributor.) It took me some time to make them feel comfortable to come for a visit and provide us with a proposal. After all, both Macau and Mocha Clubs were new to most of them at that time…

How are you expecting Macau to evolve in the next 20 years?

The Macau market will continue to perform well, especially as the critical mass of the tourism offering on the Cotai Strip continues to increase and when Henqin’s development is underway as the backyard of Macau. The Cotai Strip has in recent years developed into a world-class destination for business, leisure and family travelers, and it has become a very attractive destination as a result.

Dennis Andreaci | Managing Director, Andreaci Consulting

The first Sands Macao people were some of the first foreigners to come to Macao. When we arrived, we were all living together at the Westin Coloane Hotel. There were seven of us, and I was the third person to arrive from Sands.

I remember one day, I suggested casually to our HR consultant from the U.S. to organize an event to see if people were interested in working for us, or if they want to learn about our company. This was early 2003.

So, indeed, we decided we would put on a job fair to be held at the Macau Cultural Center, just behind the Sands Macao.

The morning of the job fair, I remember coming across the bridge in our little van, like we do every morning. I remember looking at the Cultural Center and lines of people, and even thinking ‘WOW! There must be something big happening over there!”

Not many people could even get to Cotai at the time. There were no taxis or buses.

When we arrived, we realized, they were there for us. There must have been more than 40,000 people there. We were absolutely shocked. The line went around the corner and all the way down the street. The police were called in for crowd control, it was amazing.

The initial plan was to go over to the cultural center, give a presentation about Sands and then field questions from the public about what it was like working at the company.We only had six people with us, and around 10,000 pieces of information.

But I remember once we walked in the door, and saw those 40,000 people, we knew there was no way we could follow the plan. So instead, we spent the day handing out pamphlets and brochures like street vendors!

We even had some people pushing their way to the front of the line, only to pick up the brochure and sell it to those at the back of the line, as if they were selling jobs. Police had to get involved to identify the perpetrators and throw them out.

Looking back, I’m still not exactly sure why there was such a turnout, I guess we were one of the first American companies in Macao, we were the new company with a license. It was a combination of reasons.

I also remember around the time when Wynn Macao opened up, and of course The Venetian in Cotai. Not many people could even get to Cotai at the time. There were no taxis or buses. Everything in Cotai was new and far away. We had to arrange all the transportation - we bought coaches, vans, buses, we had to create the transportation network.

So much has changed since then. However, what I think about most is the people and the lives we’ve changed.

I think about all those young people that we hired and trained in the early days - and now when I go to Macao, I see they’ve become managers, with great jobs. That’s what makes me happy.

Business is booming in Macao, there’s nothing quite like it in the world. But I’ll always remember the people. That’s what makes a good story.

Fiona Dennehy | Senior Vice President, Main Floor Gaming, Wynn Palace

When did you arrive in Macau, and in what capacity?

I arrived in September 2005 as the Director of Table Games.

What were your first impressions?

I was amazed at how clean Macau was and how nice the people were. I had not really done much homework on Macau prior to this. I was also blown away at the potential size the casino industry was heading for.

What are the biggest changes you have seen in your section of the industry?

So many changes over the years. Technology has developed so quickly ie., even the Angel Shoe was new back then. Having designated card rooms etc., was way ahead of Australia in the day.

What have you found most challenging, or memorable?

One of the most memorable experiences was being part of the building of a brand new table games system. All the stakeholders and the developers in the same room discussing how the system needed to interact with all our various transactions and yet be very intuitive for our team members.

Share a curious/ funny episode that could only have happened in Macau?

Some of the most funny and endearing memories were in the early days, and the occasional confusion of language translations.

We had just trained some of our more mature team members from the hotel to become dealers. In order to test if we had to polish our processes, I remember asking a pit manager how they were progressing now that they were dealing in a live environment. The reply I got was confusing, “not really well,” they said. Probing further I asked if it was the payouts or the card rules that they were struggling with. I was told, “no, they are ok.” So I pressed further for understanding, to be enlightened with “when they have to deal with a lot of players, they become very flatulent.” My reply was, “oh, I can see that might be a problem,” before bursting into fits of laughter. There were many such interactions like these in the early days, and they were a constant reminder to me of how the difficulty of language was my problem, not theirs.

How are you expecting Macau to evolve in the next 20 years?

I expect that there will be even greater development of technology in the work place.

Macau will develop more leisure tourism and will be less dependent on the gaming dollar, as the other aspects of resorts earn their market share.

The architecture of Macau will change as housing and rehousing develops, but I hope it will never lose its current charm with old and new together.

Michael Hu | President Asia Pacific, Interblock

When did you arrive in Macau, and in what capacity?

I arrived in 2005, working for Interblock as a sales director. We pretty much started from zero at that time.

What were your first impressions?

There was only one casino at the time besides SJM, which was Sands Macao. It was the first IR for the casino industry. We could see that there was huge market potential, with lots of licenses and construction going on.

At the time, however, we were the only ETG provider, and the market was in its infancy. Cultivating the ETG market and its concept was the challenge then.

What are the biggest changes you have seen in your section of the industry?

There is a common agreement that ETGs have seen rapid growth and development. This has been attributed due to market pressures such as higher labor costs, less manpower, and thegrowth in demand from players for more privacy and individual experiences - all these elements go into gaming which has led to the growth of ETGs.

We’ve found the Macau market to be a very traditional one.

What have you found most challenging or memorable?

We’ve found the Macao market to be a very traditional one. Any new games or new configurations take time for the market to accept. Players tend to be very conservative about new concepts.

This is due to the majority of Macau players being from mainland China, where gambling and gambling promotion is illegal. They only know and trust live table games - which has led to ETGs having to offer live dealers in order to be successful.

We made this change to make people more comfortable with our machines. But it represents a slowdown in innovation.

Share a curious/ funny episode that could only have happened in Macau?

It’s interesting to see that the game of Sic-Bo works perfectly for the Macao market, but is not popular anywhere else in the world.

How are you expecting Macau to evolve in the next 20 years?

Over the next 20 years, while revenue will continue to grow steadily, I think you’ll see slow adoption of new technology. The speed of acceptance in Macau is indeed slow.

Rashid Suliman | Vice President, Global Gaming Asia-Pacific, Transact Technologies

When did you arrive in Macau and in what capacity?

My first trip to Macau was back in early 2006 for a project at Wynn Macau when I was with Orion Art. In August 2011, I joined Transact Technologies and shortly after relocated to Macau with my family from Sydney.

What were your first impressions?

I developed a keen sense of wanderlust at a young age when I moved from South Africa to Australia as a child. As such, I really looked forward to visiting this captivating city. When I first arrived, I was fascinated with the East meets West culture. It was initially a culture shock, but I quickly grew to love this city, and I’m proud to say this has become the place that my family and I now call home. Seeing the landscape of Macau change so quickly right before my eyes, I never expected it would become what it is today and I’m excited to see how it will continue to evolve.

What are the biggest changes you have seen in your section of the industry?

Technology has come a long way in the last decade, and that is evident when you look around the properties and gaming floors. In addition, what’s taking place behind the scenes in both hardware and software technology advancements is creating a more dynamic and enjoyable user experience. Customer experience and loyalty are paramount.

What have you found most challenging or memorable?

Logistics (taxis in particular) were certainly what I found to be the most challenging, and I’d have to say the friendships we’ve made throughout this journey to be the most memorable by far. The gaming industry is large but pretty tight-knit at the same time. I appreciate all the customers and business contacts I have made thus far.

Share a curious/ funny episode that could only have happened in Macau?

T.I.M (This is Macau) was the phrase used on many occasions in my early days of Macau to depict situations that seemed to have no rhyme or reason. A series of books could be written about these and other amusing events which have taken place over these years.

How are you expecting Macau to evolve in the next 20 years?

I think technology will play a key part in this constantly evolving landscape, and we will see more attractions for families and non-gaming visitors to Macau and Henqin Island. I also expect it to be easier to get in and around Macau saving time and creating a more overall enjoyable experience.

Harold Tsakmaklis | Vice President of Casino Operations, Sands China Limited

When did you arrive in Macau, and in what capacity?

I arrived in April 2004 and joined Galaxy group. I’m not sure what the job title was, my good friend Tab ( Albert Davia) was here and he just said” get your **** here quickly! Initially we were a small group headed by one of the greatest Ciaran Curruthers... The rest is history. ..

What were your first impressions?

My first impression was OMG! We seemed to socialise a fair bit, it was lots of fun and great networking. I met a lot of people that went on to become some of my greatest friends. Macau itself was small and sort of quiet, well the streets seemed quiet during the day. I found it difficult getting around as nobody spoke English. I was lucky as my partner Connie and her sister Jaimie also came with me to Macau for work and they are both Chinese Australian. That made things sooooo much easier for me. I loved that the people were friendly and Macau seemed very safe.

What are the biggest changes you have seen in your section of the industry?

We went from building satellite casinos on the Peninsula to large IRs on the Cotai strip. Grand Waldo was actually the first property built on whatwas then called Coloane. I watched the Venetian being built day by day. The industry has changed and for the better. Look at all the magnificent properties and amenities we have, I don’t need to go into detail.

What have you found most challenging, or memorable?

Challenging is easy, leaving my family and friends on what was supposed to be a three-year gig that turned out to 15 years and now a full Macanese resident. Memorable is that I’m glad and proud to be part of the new pioneers of Macau. I have worked with some of the greatest in the industry.

I have worked with some of the greatest in the industry.

Share a curious/ funny episode that could only have happened in Macau?

Countless funny stories so I will pick something quick. My friend Joe Leonardos, who was working at Sands called me and said, H, it’s raining and I want to buy an umbrella, how do I ask for it in Chinese... I replied Joe that’s easy, it’s the first thing I learnt when I arrived.. Ask the shop owner for a Nowetmi.. (no wet me)... for the next five minutes I heard Joe asking the shop owners for a nowetmi.... hilarious.

How are you expecting Macau to evolve in the next 20 years?

I would like to say that the foundation has been set to continue the success of the industry and Macau as the entertainment capital of the world. The opportunities are countless with Hengqin Island development and the further expansion of no gaming products across Macau.

It all looks positive in my view, hopefully I’ll be enjoying the golf with my buddies in the country club reminiscing our stories as we watch our magnificent industry continue to succeed.

Ken Jolly | Vice President and Managing Director Asia, SG Gaming Asia

When did you arrive in Macau, and in what capacity?

I arrived as general manager of Aristocrat Asia. At that stage Aristocrat didn’t have a permanent person in Macau so I was asked to come and set up the office and build the team there. I started travelling in and out from 2002 and more permanent from 2004.

What were your first impressions?

At that stage there were only the SJM casinos and people talked about this massive future and how they were going to build all these casinos and it would be like Las Vegas. It was difficult at that stage to get a grasp of what was really going to happen. About that time, SARS was in the area. There were hardly any Westerners, just lots of Chinese wearing masks and I remember thinking wow, what have I got into. When you look at the numbers of people who go through Sands and Galaxy now on a per day basis, it’s just amazing.

What were the biggest changes?

The sheer number of visitors for what is a small area and population and the actual dollars coming into the market are just astounding. Now what we’re seeing is the government building infrastructure, such as the Hong Kong, Zhuhai Bridge, the ferry terminal, getting the light rail going shortly. Also, a whole city is being built on Hengqin Island from the ground up, so it shows the significance of what the Chinese government expects that area to become. Gaming in Macau and family entertainment in Hengqin. The vision from Mainland China is that this whole thing together at the bottom of the Pearl Delta becomes the Florida of China.

What have you found most challenging?

At the end of the day, it’s a strong tables market. At SG, we’re very fortunate to be very diverse, with table systems and shufflers etc. If you are just a slot company, it could be quite frustrating as revenue is still only about 5 percent of tables.

Where do you see Macau evolving for the next 20 years?

It’s obvious that the central government is trying to push more non-gaming in Macau. Still, when you actually talk to the casino operators, they say that 90 percent of players are from Guangdong Province. So as more and more of China gets more affluent, more and more people are going to come to Macau and have a look. And as infrastructure improves, with bridges, fast trains and better access, it will continue to grow. It’s my understanding that a lot of the new infrastructure that has been built in the area is designed to handle something like 80 million visitors. That’s more than double what it is today. They will come from second, third and fourth tier cities and further north. There is a chunk of land that sits 150 metres away that’s six times the size of Macau that’s being developed by the Chinese as a city with a financial centre, Chinese medicine research, theme parks.

Ted Chan | Chief Operating Officer, Japan Development, Galaxy Entertainment

When did you arrive in Macau, and in what capacity?

I arrived in Macau in 2003 and at that time I was working for Melco. I recall it was in the middle of SARS (Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome) and before Sands. Melco had just started and I got the opportunity to open the Mocha Clubs. I was one of the first to explore the opportunities.

What were your first impressions?

My first impression was in the late 80s when I was a kid. I remember there was water all around and just one bridge and you went through Taipa to get to Coloane. Then later I remember showing investors and fund managers around and looking at all the land reclamation and the properties that were starting to be built. It was amazing and you would never see anything else on this scale anywhere else in the world, except perhaps Dubai.

I used to have fund managers from the U.S. call me to ask if Macau was safe as they had heard about the triad wars on the news. I’d answer it was very safe, and much safer than New York.

When I started working here, it was very relaxed. The pace of life was very slow, while Hong Kong was fast. Now it’s the same. There was not a lot of business and a lot of meetings where you’d have coffee with government officials that would last until 3pm after lunch!

What were the biggest changes you have seen?

In terms of non-gaming entertainment things have changed. If you came 10 to 20 years ago all you could do was gamble, but now when I talk to friends in Hong Kong and China it’s also a place to come to enjoy great food and entertainment...That and the pace of life!

The customer has also become more discerning. They are demanding more from us and have seen more and we have to catch up with them.

What were the biggest challenges?

At the beginning if you ask any of the principals, they never thought Macau would become so big. But we have also been through some difficult times. The global financial crisis was the hardest, it was the time every IR operator was hit hard and even the biggest operator almost went into bankruptcy. We cannot be complacent. The business cycle now has got much shorter, but we have learned from the crises and we are getting stronger.

What do you expect to see for the next 20 years?

I am very lucky as I’m one of the few who has witnessed the changes from the monopoly to today. I am super bullish on Macau given the Greater Bay Area initiative that connects 70 million people. Macau will be the centre for entertainment in the Greater Bay Area and it will be a truly first class offering. The Macau government has done a good job liaising with Beijing on policies and vision. With the current administration, Macau will become more liveable. There are a lot of complaints about traffic etc, but it will improve. Macau has a large surplus and the ability to improve the city.

Kevin Lee | General Manager, Aruze Gaming Macau

When did you arrive in Macau, and in what capacity?

I first came to Macau around March 2007 as sales for RGB. I was new to the industry, a green boy with a background in IT. I was tasked with table games product sales, like chips and layouts. The market was all table games back then. Three years on I joined Aruze and everything changed.

What were your first impressions?

Coming from Malaysia my first surprise was the amount of money people were carrying on the streets. Everyone had these big man purses full of cash. Back home there’s only one casino at Highlands, mostly for regular customers, but in Macau they were mostly tourists and they were spending a lot!

What are the biggest changes you have seen in your section of the industry?

The fast adoption of new technology. We have brought a lot of new technology and innovation to this market and the customers have embraced it. New cabinets with multi layer games, multi features and they’re all playing. And also changing the minds of the operators to do more.

What have you found most challenging, or memorable?

A big step for electronic gaming happened with the opening of Galaxy Macau. They were open to new ideas and concepts, not afraid to move away from the traditional and were able to create something special.

Share a curious/ funny episode that could only have happened in Macau?

How we all go and come around. Seems like no one can just let go and forget about Macau. In many instances, friends and acquaintances from the hospitality and gaming industry whom I’d known in the early days left only to return, simply because it’s still THE leading the industry in many ways.

How are you expecting Macau to evolve in the next 20 years?

Everything will be electronic. Only VIP areas will have live dealers. It’s very challenging for operators to keep up with the labour costs for tables. Makes sense that, 20 years on, only the VIP will get to play with live dealers because they’ll be the only ones that can afford it. By then everything on the casino floor will be cashless, contactless. The player will use their smartphone to credit their ETG and just play, move on to the next game…

Alidad Tash | Managing Director, 2NT8 Limited

When did you arrive in Macau, and in what capacity?

I first visited Macau in August 2005. I arrived as a director for the Sands sister company in Las Vegas to ensure that they’d be using the same metrics in setting up the Venetian. Steve Rosen, who was the head of casino marketing asked me to stay and I was thinking, why in the world would I come here? Rosen was right… Macau was a great move.

What were your first impressions?

I saw a lot of opportunities. Macau was stuck in the 20th century because of the monopoly, naturally. It took awhile for the new foreign operators to realize that Macau is not Las Vegas, Atlantic City or Melbourne… It’s Macau. Eventually, it only took Macau six years to generate gaming revenues seven times that of Las Vegas… No one expected Macau to be this big, this good, this fast.

What are the biggest changes you have seen in your section of the industry?

Macau went through a dramatic increase in terms of product and offer. Sands Macao and The Venetian were great successes on their own. They completely exceeded expectations - every other opening since has paled in comparison. But the real game changer was Cotai.

What have you found most challenging, or memorable?

Everything about Macau was on another level. An example was the casino management systems. I remember we had to have a chat with developers as they had never anticipated having to add “billions” to their reporting. They asked. So you need to add billions in the end of year reports? NO - any given day! They could not understand… nine zeros! No one ever anticipated billions.

Share a curious/ funny episode that could only have happened in Macau?

Even before opening, Venetian struck a deal with Manchester United back in 2007 that they would come for a marketing campaign in the middle of July. The thing is… after the deal was made, the opening was delayed to the middle of August. The contract was unbreakable so we literally had to “open” a casino, but not “open” a casino - a month before the real opening day for all the superstars. We all pretended the casino was opened, everything looked opened, except there were no ‘real’ customers…

Then at opening, there was literally not enough hotel staff. In the first few days things got so slow that the lines for check in were a mile long and many of the execs were asked to come down to the front desk and play the role of customer management and explain that their rooms were not going to be ready any time soon.

How are you expecting Macau to evolve in the next 20 years?

Macau will go through another phase where there’s no more new supply, just completion of phases. That will create a steal-share market. What we need is new concepts. I think that Japan, with its “über technology advances” will prompt a wave of innovation. Macau has also entered a stage where locals are finally taking over. Even the upper echelon of casino management is being cut down from foreigners to locals. I wouldn’t be surprised if in a few years the vast majority of the senior management would be Chinese.