Casino Casa Real to Close by November 21 as Macau’s Satellite Transition Nears Completion

Casino Casa Real will officially cease operations by November 22, with all transition and closure preparations expected to conclude the previous day, according to the Gaming Inspection and Coordination Bureau (DICJ). The move comes as part of Macau’s ongoing shift away from the satellite casino model, which requires full operational control by licensed concessionaires starting next year.

The DICJ confirmed on Thursday that 285 employees are currently working at the Casa Real property. Casino Casa Real is operated under SJM Resorts’ licence and follows the recent closure of Legend Palace Casino, which ended its operations earlier this morning.

To ensure full compliance with the gaming regulations, Macau’s gaming watchdog announced that it will deploy inspectors to oversee the closure of Casino Casa Real on its final day of operation.

SJM Resorts, one of the city’s six gaming concessionaires, had previously been authorized to operate up to nine satellite casinos through third-party management agreements. However, new gaming legislation now requires all concessionaires to assume direct responsibility for every casino operating under their licence.

Alongside Casa Real, other SJM-linked satellites — including Legend Palace, Emperor Palace, and Grandview Casino — have already shut down. Under the updated framework, all 11 casinos previously managed and promoted by third-party operators must transition to a new management model by the end of this year.

Starting January 2026, third-party promoters will no longer share in gaming profits and may only act as management service providers, earning a single fee capped at 15 per cent of revenue.

Earlier estimates from gaming authorities placed the number of gaming tables and slot machines at Casa Real at approximately 480 and 270, respectively. Across Macau’s satellite casinos, around 5,600 local employees were reported to be affected — with 4,800 hired by concessionaires and 800 employed directly by management companies.

The closure of Casino Casa Real marks yet another milestone in Macau’s historic casino reform, as the city moves toward a more centralized and compliant gaming framework designed to strengthen regulatory oversight and sustainability within its gaming secto