By Ben Blaschke
A report suggesting that Donald Trump could be positioning to apply for a Macau gaming license is “absolutely foolish”, with the US President no chance of becoming the city’s seventh concessionaire, according to an expert on the matter.
The veteran Macau gaming industry expert, who asked not to be named when contacted on Monday, told Inside Asian Gaming, “These rumors are absolutely foolish.
“There’s no way Trump is trying for a seventh license,” he said. “Nor is there any way a foreigner would be granted a seventh license. It simply won’t happen.”
His comments follow a report by Reuters over the weekend revealing that a company linked to Mr Trump, DTTM Operations LLC, had received Macau government approval in June for four trademarks, including one for casino services. Mr Trump’s business affairs are currently being overseen by one of his sons alongside other business partners.
It isn’t the first time the US President has registered trademarks in Macau, having previously registered Donald J Trump, DTTM and Trump Compendia Limited in 2005. None have led to Mr Trump launching businesses in the city, however these latest developments have sparked suggestions that he could be positioning to bid for a Macau casino license when the current gaming license concessions start to expire in the next three years, starting with SJM and MGM China in March 2020 followed by Galaxy, Sands China, Melco Resorts and Wynn Macau in June 2022.
Other experts approached by Inside Asian Gaming on Monday said that although it was unlikely Mr Trump – whose company Trump Entertainment Resorts was once a dominant player in Atlantic City – would be granted a Macau gaming license, it wouldn’t come as a complete surprise if he decided to launch a bid.
“If you are a global gaming company you should do everything in your power to position yourself for the license expiry, just in case,” one observer said.
The prospect of Macau welcoming a seventh concessionaire once licenses go up for renewal was first flagged with IAG in June by Professor Davis Fong, Director of the Institute for the Study of Commercial Gaming and Associate Professor of the Hospitality and Gaming Management Program at the University of Macau.
Professor Fong told IAG that he expected the government to consider any such proposal if a prospective operator proved it could help fulfil the tourism goals laid out in the government’s 2016 Mid-term review.
“I think from a society perspective we will welcome everybody who can help Macau achieve the World Centre of Tourism and Leisure,” he said.
“What we are trying to do is make sure that Macau can achieve the World Centre of Tourism and Leisure in the next 10 to 15 years. This is very clear in the five-year plan announced last year by the Macau government so anybody, any stakeholder, any players or any concessionaire or sub-concessionaire who can help Macau achieve the World Centre of Tourism and Leisure – if they are good players in Macau society the government will welcome them to stay here.”
Macau’s Secretary for Economy and Finance, Mr Leong Vai Tac, confirmed last month that the government would consider amending the terms and conditions surrounding renewal of gaming licenses for Macau’s concessionaires, opening the door for a potential seventh operator to join the party.
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