Sands China will be the only company in Macau to see a rise in market share in 2013 after a year when their newest venue opened its doors. Citigroup predict the firm will see its market share increase by three percent to 22 percent thanks to it being the first year when the benefits from Sands Cotai Central will be fully realized. The analysts added that Sands, along with Galaxy, saw the biggest gains in 2012 as their shares both grew from 19 percent to 22 and it puts them just a little way behind market leader SJM Holdings with 27 percent.
Japan’s status as a potential challenger to Macau is being lauded over by analysts looking at the Asian gambling industry – even before legislation has passed. Macau Business report that Fitch Ratings have commented there’s a “good likelihood” that liberalization of the country’s gaming market will take place in the next several years. The comments came after emergency stimulus measures were approved last week that didn’t include specific measures related to casinos. They do, however, allude to “promoting tourism, encouraging investment and creating employment opportunities”. This moved Fitch to state that Japan allowing casino “could result in increased competitive risk to established markets in the region, like Macau.”
