Macau casino operators regard the cruise ships as complementary to the industry, rather than a competitive threat. The boats have major limitations with regards to capacity and offer very little in terms of dining and shopping options. Their impact “is minimal,” remarked Ambrose So Shu Fai, SJM Holdings CEO. “The pie is growing bigger [in Macau] and some money overflows there.”
A continued surge of demand in Macau and the government’s licensing restrictions and cap on table games enables the casino boat sector to expand. The new Chinese government has also taken a firmer hand over regulation of Macau’s gaming industry. Boats offer an alternative for Chinese passport holders to gamble without having to apply for a separate visa to visit Macau.