AGP Executive Report

Local Business: Macau lawyer Calvin Tinlop Chui has become the first representative of the city’s legal sector named to Thomson Reuters’ Asia 40 Under 40 list. Fitness: A Macau group has acknowledged it has no official tie to Hyrox but plans to stage a similar 8km race with workout stations in February, despite the brand’s objection to its use of the name. Housing: Tenants have begun moving into Zone A’s first completed social-rental estate, finished in July. Gaming & Economy: DICJ figures link Macau’s third-quarter gaming revenue decline to a 7.9% fall in mass baccarat; a separate forecast puts the economy’s contraction at 2%, while hotel and food spending remain robust. Sport: Serbia’s Team Ub won the FIBA 3x3 World Tour Macau final, beating Shanghai 21-15 at the Ruins of St Paul’s. Trade: Macau’s MIF, PLPEX and MFE fairs are set to open on October 21, with organisers aiming to expand links with Portuguese- and Spanish-speaking markets.

Finance: China’s central bank plans new measures to support the Greater Bay Area’s international science and technology hub, including easier cross-border financing and stronger support for innovation. Housing: Tenants are moving into the first completed social rental estate in Macao’s Zone A, where construction finished in July. Gaming: Macao’s third-quarter gross gaming revenue fell 7.9%, with mass baccarat a key drag; analysts expect pressure to ease somewhat in coming quarters. Sport: Serbia’s Team Ub won the FIBA 3x3 World Tour Macao final, beating Shanghai 21-15 at the Ruins of St. Paul’s.

Macao Open: Chinese Taipei’s Wang Wei-Hsuan won the tournament at Macau Golf & Country Club, finishing 17 under par after a playoff. Greater Bay Area: China’s central bank and 10 departments issued a guideline to expand financing for science and technology innovation, including in the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area. Tourism: The 12th Global Tourism Economy Forum opened in Macao, bringing international delegates together to discuss innovation and more resilient tourism. Sport: Serbia’s Team Ub claimed the FIBA 3x3 World Tour Macau title at the Ruins of St. Paul’s. Economy: Macao’s third-quarter gaming revenue fell 3.7% year on year, with mass baccarat down 7.9%; a separate forecast expects GDP to contract 2%, though hotel and food spending remain robust. International ties: A Brazilian diplomats’ delegation explored Macao’s role as a bridge between China and Portuguese-speaking countries.

Gaming: Macao’s casino revenue fell 3.7% year on year in the third quarter to MOP60.4 billion, with mass baccarat down 7.9%; VIP baccarat was flat. Sports: Serbia’s Team Ub won the FIBA 3x3 World Tour Macao stop at the Ruins of St. Paul’s, beating Shanghai in the final. The 16-team event carried a US$185,000 prize pool. Tourism: The 12th Global Tourism Economy Forum brought about 1,300 officials and industry leaders to Macao to discuss building a more resilient and sustainable tourism economy. Education: MUST has launched the first King Sejong Institute in Macao with South Korea’s Sejong University, expanding local Korean-language and cultural education.

Gaming: Macao’s casino gross revenue fell 3.7% year on year in the third quarter to MOP60.4 billion, with mass baccarat down 7.9%, according to official figures. Tourism: The Global Tourism Economy Forum opened in Macao with about 1,300 participants from more than 20 countries and regions. Chief Executive Sam Hou Fai said the city is broadening its tourism offer beyond visitor numbers. Cross-Border Business: Zhuhai Duty Free reopened an expanded arrivals store at the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao Bridge, as traffic through the Zhuhai port reached a record 31.3 million passengers in 2025. Local Industry: A new Macao facility is producing Bee playing cards for regional and international markets, bringing a century-old imported product into local manufacturing. Trade: Macao’s MIF and related fairs open on October 21, with business-matching sessions and a focus on Portuguese- and Spanish-speaking markets. Sport: The FIBA 3x3 World Tour is underway at the Ruins of St. Paul’s, with local team Cotai WOLFUNITED advancing to the quarter-finals.

Tourism Strategy: The 12th Global Tourism Economy Forum opened in Macao, bringing together about 1,300 participants from more than 20 countries and regions. Chief Executive Sam Hou Fai urged the industry to spread tourism’s benefits across the economy and prioritize innovation and sustainability as the city diversifies beyond casinos. Sports: The FIBA 3x3 World Tour is underway at the Ruins of St. Paul’s, with Macao’s Cotai WOLFUNITED advancing to the quarter-finals among eight teams. Economic Outlook: Macao’s economy is forecast to have contracted 2% in the third quarter amid weaker gaming, though hotel and food spending remained robust, according to a report listed this week. Business: A new joint venture between Cartamundi and Asia Pioneer Entertainment has opened a playing-card factory in Macao, bringing Bee card production to the city for the first time and targeting regional and international markets. Trade: Three major fairs are set to open on Oct. 21, drawing 1,000 international exhibitors and promoting links with Portuguese- and Spanish-speaking markets.

Civic Life: Macao launched its first “City-wide Courtesy” programme on Oct. 17, with 43 sessions over two weeks promoting civic education and community participation. Basketball: Macau’s PBA guest-team stint ended with a 162–108 loss to Converge, leaving the Giant Pandas 2–10; league coverage says they are unlikely to be invited back. Tourism: At the Global Tourism Economy Forum, Chief Executive Sam Hou Fai urged the industry to pursue sustainable growth and spread tourism’s benefits across other sectors. He cited more than 40 million visitor arrivals last year. Business: Three major trade fairs open Oct. 21, bringing about 1,000 international exhibitors to Macao, while the new Bee playing-card factory marks a fresh local manufacturing venture. Economic Outlook: Macao’s GDP is forecast to have fallen 2% in the third quarter amid weaker gaming, though hotel and food spending remained robust.

Tourism and Diversification: Chief Executive Sam Hou Fai urged stronger international cooperation and more sustainable tourism at the Global Tourism Economy Forum, saying Macao is broadening its visitor offer beyond growth in arrivals. The three-day forum opened as the city prepares for its next round of trade events. Economic Outlook: Macao’s economy was forecast to contract 2% in the third quarter as gaming weakened, despite resilient hotel and food spending; the IMF has kept its 2026 growth forecast at 3.3%. Business: A new playing-card factory opened in Macao through a partnership between Belgian maker Cartamundi and local supplier APE. The facility will produce Bee cards for regional and overseas markets. Coming Up: The 73rd Macau Grand Prix is scheduled for November 19–22, while the Macao International Trade and Investment Fair opens October 21.

Economic Outlook: Macau’s economy may have contracted 2% in the third quarter as gaming weakened, though hotel and restaurant spending remained robust. The IMF kept its 2026 growth forecast at 3.3%. Courts and Governance: Chief Executive Sam Hou Fai praised the judiciary’s handling of the city’s first national security case and called for judicial reform, stronger integrity and wider use of digital tools. Business and Tourism: More than 1,000 exhibitors are expected at Macau’s trade and franchise fairs from October 21 to 24, followed by a Greater Bay Area business conference on October 22–23. Spanish travel agencies have named Macau their preferred destination for 2027, as European visitor numbers rise. Sport: The FIBA 3x3 World Tour returns to the Ruins of St Paul’s on October 17–18, bringing 16 teams to the city. Public Safety: Police arrested three people in a suspected MOP3.9 million childcare subsidy fraud; a separate cross-border scam investigation linked to fake TikTok customer-service calls reported losses exceeding MOP10 million.

Judiciary: Chief Executive Sam Hou Fai praised the courts’ handling of Macao’s first national security case and called for judicial reform, stronger integrity and closer alignment with national and local development plans. Fraud: Three local women are accused of fabricating crèche jobs and payroll records to claim about MOP3.9 million in public subsidies. Separately, police in Macao and Zhuhai arrested three men over a fake TikTok support scam that allegedly cost 54 residents more than MOP10 million. Economy: Macao’s GDP is forecast to have fallen 2% in the third quarter as gaming weakened, though hotel and food spending remained robust. Business: More than 1,000 exhibitors are expected at three trade fairs opening October 21, while Macao hosts a Greater Bay Area business conference on October 22–23. Tourism: Spanish travel agencies have named Macao their Preferred Destination for 2027; Spanish visitor arrivals rose nearly 20% this year. Heritage: Scrapping has begun on Flores, the world’s first Boeing Jetfoil, despite calls to preserve the vessel that once served the Hong Kong–Macao route. Attractions: Macao Science Center drew more than 26,000 visitors during Golden Week, up 10.4% year on year.

Business and Connectivity: Macao will host the MIF, Portuguese-speaking countries’ products expo and franchise expo from Oct. 21–24, bringing about 1,000 exhibitors to Cotai. More than 1,000 delegates are also expected at the Greater Bay Area business conference on Oct. 22–23. Tourism and Gaming: National Day holiday arrivals reached a record 1.87 million, while gaming tax revenue rose 5.9% in the first nine months to US$9.2 billion. Spanish travel agents have named Macao their “Preferred Destination 2027”; arrivals from Spain rose nearly 20% in January–August. Local Industry: BEE Macau, a Belgian-Macao joint venture, has opened the city’s first professional-grade playing-card factory, now in full-scale production and supplying Asian gaming operators. Economic Indicators: Foreign-exchange reserves edged down 0.3% in September to MOP245 billion. New residential mortgage approvals dipped in August, while commercial property lending increased.

Business: BEE Macau has opened the city’s first professional-grade playing-card factory, a Belgian-Macanese joint venture that began full production in May and will supply casino cards to Asia and global markets. Tourism: Spain’s travel agents have named Macao their “Preferred Destination 2027.” European arrivals rose more than 30% in the first eight months of 2026, including a near-20% increase from Spain. Gaming: Gaming-tax collections climbed 5.9% year on year to US$9.2 billion in the first nine months. Transport: The government is encouraging motorcyclists travelling between the peninsula and Taipa to use dedicated lanes on Macao Bridge as it upgrades roads in the Zone A reclamation area. Community: A symposium highlighted the need for dignified end-of-life and palliative care as residents aged 65 and over reached 15.3% of the population. Sport: A 24-member Macao delegation has travelled to Japan for the Asian Para Games, where athletes will compete in five sports.

Tourism: Macao has been named the Spanish Confederation of Travel Agents’ “Preferred Destination 2027,” as European arrivals rose more than 30% in the first eight months of the year and Spanish visitors nearly 20%. The Global Tourism Economy Forum returns this week, with the FIBA 3x3 World Tour to follow on October 17–18. Economic Diversification: BEE Macau has opened the city’s first professional playing-card factory, a Belgian-backed venture bringing production of some Bee casino decks to Macao. Gaming and Safety: Gaming tax receipts reached US$9.2 billion in the first nine months, up 5.9% year on year, while gaming-related crime rose 12.3%; the government has kept its 2026 casino-revenue forecast unchanged. Public Services: Judiciary Police have opened a 24-hour reporting station in Taipa, citing the district’s growing population and demand for services.

Culture: Macao’s 19th A-Ma Cultural and Tourism Festival opened with traditional rites and a Mazu procession, celebrating the city’s links with Fujian and the goddess’s wider cultural legacy. Public Safety: Judiciary Police have opened their first Taipa station, operating around the clock as the district’s population and demand for police services grow. Healthcare: HSBC Life’s new Macau lounge offers policyholders help arranging appointments and navigating care, as the insurer expands its cross-border network. Business and Events: Five bids are in for the private operation of Cotai’s open-air performance venue, with a handover expected in the second quarter of 2027; Macao will also host a Greater Bay Area business conference next Thursday. Gaming: Casino-related crime rose 12.3% in the first nine months of 2026, while gaming tax receipts increased 5.9% to US$9.2 billion.

Public Finances: Macao will channel MOP15.91 billion—80% of its 2025 budget surplus—to the Pension Fund, which faces a projected MOP8.99 billion shortfall over five years. Public Safety: Gaming-related crime rose 12.3% in the first nine months of 2026, with fraud and illegal money exchange among the main drivers, even as overall crime fell. Tourism & Culture: Macao showcased its UNESCO gastronomy work at the World Food Forum in Rome, while the Global Tourism Economy Forum returns October 15–17. Business Diversification: Bee Macau opened a local playing-card factory using automation and AI-assisted quality checks, bringing production closer to gaming operators in the region. Residents’ Priorities: More than 9,000 suggestions for the 2027 Policy Address put transport, education and healthcare among residents’ top concerns. Connectivity: China Southern plans daily Macau–Guangzhou flights from December 10.

Public Finances: Macao will direct MOP15.91 billion — 80% of its 2025 budget surplus — to the Pension Fund, which faces a projected MOP8.986 billion shortfall over five years. Public Safety: Gaming-related crime rose 12.3% in the first nine months of 2026 to 1,951 cases, with fraud and illegal money exchange among the main drivers. Residents’ Priorities: More than 9,000 suggestions for the 2027 Policy Address put transport, education and healthcare among residents’ top concerns. Tourism: The Global Tourism Economy Forum returns Oct. 15–17, bringing industry leaders to discuss resilience, sustainable growth and new opportunities. Connectivity: China Southern Airlines plans daily Macao–Guangzhou flights from Dec. 10, offering links to onward destinations. Sport: The FIBA 3×3 World Tour and Greater Bay Area finals bring international teams to the Ruins of St. Paul’s this weekend.