This is the online home of David G. Schwartz, who 
Soft launch of new Macau page
If you want, you can take a sneak peek at the latest jurisdictional gaming summary I’ve done at the Center for Gaming Research, Macau: http://gaming.unlv.edu/abstract/macau.html
I’m still honing it, so any suggestions are appreciated.
Posted in business of gambling, what's newon 07/28/2010 01:39 pm by Dave
07/28/2010 at 2:56 pm
It’s informative. I hardly know a thing about Macau. The stats on the amount of table games and slots made me wonder how that amount compares with Vegas. BTW. That Eddington fellow sure provided good insights.
08/11/2010 at 8:08 pm
A few things, if I am not too late to comment. Most of these are bit based on my feel than any research, however:
1. I am not sure what game you mean by “Stud Poker” as Stud as I understand it (ie live poker) I have never seen there. Could you be referring to the variant played a bit like 3-Card Poker? (Never found the rules in that one while I was there).
2. You might want to check the Pari-mutel handle more carefully. As I recall, the MJC simulcasts some HK and Aussie races and takes bets. I do not know how these are pooled and work within your figures. (I could be wrong about this. My memory is fuzzy.)
3. Likewise fuzzy, but I think SJM owns the horse track, but MJC operates the pari-mutel operation. I do not think these are one in the same, as MJC I recall is ran as a charity akin to the HKJC.
4. I hate to bring up more work, but I do not think that any talk of Macau gaming is complete without the tourists coming in and out of the SAR. There is no “locals market” that I could tell. I do not know how specific you can get, but it would be interesting just to see the amount of visitors via points of entry (Zhuahai border vs. Hong Kong Ferry or Air). It could serve as a proxy for Mainland vs. non-Mainland business.
In particular, I find it amusing from 2007 on when all the casinos were complaining about the Chinese visa situation, and blaming it for not hitting targets, the revenue saw no bump. I always thought this was a paper tiger.
5. I do not know about figures, official or unofficial, but I think there is a significant amount gambled in mahjong games in Macau. This is a bit like the underground poker circuits in the US due to its legality. Might be worth research and a mention.
6. It was “Crown Casino” not “Casino Crown” and “Waldo” not “Walso” (yeah I know, petty, but it is academic writing not a blog post). Also I think it would be more logical to list Melco’s sub-concession first, and then the acquisition of the Mocha parlors. It looks a bit confusing.
7. Speaking of Mocha, I note the slot parlors are not included in your list of casinos. (or are they?)
8. I do not know if you want to add it, but the Macau authorities keep good track of what the exact games are offered in Casinos. Casinos need to “propose” a new game in detail, and any variation (say an odds change on a blackjack payout) needs to be filed an approved. These filings (In Chinese, Portuguese, and I think English) could give you a better look at the games and the dates they were introduced.
08/11/2010 at 8:16 pm
One last thing. Technically Melco has three casinos, but actually the COD complex has two of those under one roof (COD’s and Hard Rock’s), and pretty close together (a brief escalator ride separates them). So I wonder if its accurate to say Melco has three.
This is different in my mind from the Venetian and Plaza (Four Season’s) casinos, where despite being in the same contiguous complex, there is a good deal of shopping and hotel space separating them.