With so many lockdowns and restrictions happening across Asia’s gaming jurisdictions, it is easy to lose track of which casinos are currently open, closed, or open with restrictions.
Just how much did lockdowns disrupt casino operations in each country?
To answer this question, Asia Gaming Brief has put together a snapshot of the industry on a country-by-country basis as of April 19, 2021.
Macau
Macau’s 41 casinos were closed for 15-days in early 2020 during the early stages of the pandemic, but have been opened since, albeit with restrictions. In March 2021, Macau removed the requirement for patrons to present a negative covid entry and also relaxed restrictions surrounding standing bets at gaming tables.
There are six operators in Macau. All properties are allowed to be open as of today.
Malaysia
Malaysia’s only casino operator, Genting Malaysia shut its casinos on March 18, 2020, on government orders, and reopened them around June 19, 2020. Casinos remained open for the remainder of the year subject to social distancing restrictions, but Resorts World Genting was temporarily closed on January 19, reopening a little less than a month later. Genting Malaysia is the sole casino operator in Malaysia.
All properties are allowed to be open as of today.
Philippines
The Philippines gaming industry has been one of the hardest hit by the covid-19 pandemic, with enhanced community quarantine issued numerous times throughout the year, as well as border closures blocking international tourist arrivals. Most recently, a lockdown in Metro Manila has forced a temporary closure of 20 casinos in the region (March 29) and have been closed since that time.
Metro Manila has around 20 casinos, with major operators including PAGCOR, Melco Resorts Philippines, Genting, Bloomberry Resorts (Solaire Resort & Casino), Universal Entertainment (Okada Manila). There are also a number of casinos located in Central Luzon, Calabarzon, Visayas, and the Mindanao region. Properties in Metro Manila have been closed since March 29, but casinos in other regions are allowed to be open.
Singapore
Singapore’s two casino operators, Las Vegas Sands (Marina Bay Sands) and Genting Singapore (Resorts World Sentosa) were closed in early April 2020 in support of the Singaporean government’s efforts to combat the spread of covid-19. Resorts World Sentosa opened on May 4, 2020, and has been open since to all guests. Marina Bay Sands reopened on June 1, 2020, initially only to its Sands Reward loyalty program members, and then all guests as of October 9, 2020.
All properties are allowed to be open as of today.
Nepal
All of Nepal’s casinos were forced to close their doors on March 23, 2020, after the government announced a complete lockdown to prevent the spread of the coronavirus, wiping out tourism and business travel since then. One of Nepal’s largest integrated resorts, Tiger Palace Resort, was finally able to reopen the hotel after nearly a year on March 10, 2021, though the casino remains closed. Other hotels in Nepal have also been allowed to reopen without the casinos.
There are approximately 12 casinos in Nepal.
India
After being shut for 7 months, Goa’s casinos reopened on November 1, 2020, running at 50 percent capacity. They were first shut in March 2020. Only three states have licensed land-based (including off-shore casinos) – Goa, Sikkim, and Daman. There are six offshore casinos in Goa, floating in the Mandovi river, whilst other casinos are located inside five-star hotels.
All properties are allowed to be open as of today, but are required to operate at 50 percent capacity.
Sri Lanka
The Sri Lankan government first ordered a curfew on its residents in March, which was lifted 52 days later on May 11. The country, however, went back into lockdown on October 7, 2020, closing all bars, restaurants, casinos, nightclubs, and spas after an escalating cluster of covid-19 cases. The country began lifting the curfew from November 8 but maintained social distancing restrictions for any gatherings. There are five gambling facilities in Sri Lanka.
All properties are allowed to be open as of today.
Laos
Laos, which is home to the Savannakhet Savann Vegas casino, Vientiane Dansavanh Nam Ngum casino, and Bokeo Kings Romans casino, which was forced to close its casinos for two months, where they remained open for the rest of the year. At the end of January 2021, casinos in the northwestern Bokeo Province’s Golden Triangle Special Economic Zone were closed for 2 weeks after a Chinese worker tested positive for the covid-19 coronavirus, but they have reopened since.
All properties are allowed to be open as of today.
Cambodia
The government of Cambodia ordered nearly a three-month closure of its casinos in 2020. NagaWorld, Cambodia’s largest casino resort was allowed to reopen on July 19, 2020. Star Vegas, operated by Donaco International, reopened its casino in Cambodia on September 25 on a limited basis.
It is unclear when casinos in Sihanoukville reopened after the first wave of the virus in 2020, but it is understood that Sihanoukville’s Jin Bei casinos, as well as the Horng Gon Chea Yi Hotel were forced to close on Feb 25 of this year, and have opened back up since March 15, 2021.
All properties are allowed to be open as of today, with the exception of NagaWorld in Phnom Penh.
Vietnam
Vietnam’s casinos were closed for around three weeks in 2020, reopening on May 8, albeit on a limited basis. Major operators in Vietnam include Donaco International, Suncity, Vin Group, and Ho Tram Project Company.
All properties are allowed to be open as of today.
Australia
Australia issued lockdowns on a state-by-state basis, however, the country has closed its international borders completely as of March 20, 2020, which has prevented the entry of international tourists since, with the exception of New Zealand residents.
Australia’s individual states and territories also closed their own borders to interstate travel to varying degrees, with some remaining closed until late 2020. At the moment, all gaming venues in the country are permitted to open, but social distancing restrictions remaining for the most part and vary depending on the state.
Major casino operators in Australia include Star Entertainment, Crown Resorts, SkyCity Entertainment Group and The Treasury Group
All properties are allowed to be open as of today.
New Zealand
New Zealand’s only casino operator, SkyCity Entertainment Group, was one of the first in the region to reopen its casinos on May 14 after less than two months of closure which began on March 23. The country has since enacted a few short lockdowns due to outbreaks, but the country has largely kept a tight lid on infections.
SkyCity operates four out of six casinos in the country, it operates casinos in Hamilton, Queenstown, and Auckland. There is a casino in Christchurch and another in Dunedin.
All properties are allowed to be open as of today.
Saipan
Imperial Pacific International, which operates the only casino on the island of Saipan, announced a temporary closure from March 17, however, the casino has remained closed since then due to covid.
Saipan’s only casino is closed as of today.
Russia
The casinos in Russia’s Primorye and Siberia zones were ordered to close their doors on March 31 and was granted permission to reopen from July 16, 2020, with coronavirus countermeasures, including body temperature checks, the mandatory wearing of masks for all employees and patrons, the installation of hand sanitizers, and various social distancing measures.
All properties are allowed to be open as of today.
Japan
Japan has no casinos as of today. Instead, its citizens are treated to pachinko parlors throughout the country, which offers a gambling-like entertainment experience. Pachinko parlors were made subject to business suspension requests in the original state of emergency in the spring of 2020, but have not been asked to close in subsequent emergencies, despite the waves being bigger than the first. Across Japan, pachinko parlor revenues are running at about 75 percent of the levels that they attained before the onset of the Covid pandemic.
All properties are allowed to be open as of today.
South Korea
South Korea was hit with a number of coronavirus waves in 2020, with covid resurgences causing casinos across the country to open and close their doors repeatedly. Kangwon Land has been reopened as of mid-February after a five-month closure, whilst Grand Korea Leisure had reopened some of its casinos on February 1, but its Seoul casino has been closed until March 1.
Currently, only two out of eight casinos on Jeju Island are opened, this is Jeju Shinhwa World, operated by Hong Kong-listed Landing International and Paradise Casino.
