With the long-term future of Macau Jockey Club (MJC) still in limbo, Secretary for Economy and Finance Lei Wai Nong told media on Wednesday that “operators of franchised concessions need to fulfil their obligations strictly in accordance with the law and the requirements of the franchise contract.”
MJC last week announced late last week that the new 2023/2024 season would start from 29 September 2023 after receiving approval from the Macau government, allaying for now fears that the season might not proceed at all. This followed recent media reports suggesting MJC might have run its last race for failing to satisfactorily upgrade facilities as promised when it was granted a 24-year concession extension in February 2018.
Lei said he would not comment on “rumors in the market” but added, “The Gaming Inspection and Coordination Bureau (DICJ) will carry out the regulatory work concerning franchise contracts in accordance with the law.”
Despite MJC revealing dates for the new season, a source has told Inside Asian Gaming that concerns remain over whether the club has enough horses to complete a full fixture with a recent shipment of 30 horses having been blocked from coming in.
