Macau: New gaming concession public tender process expected to kickstart this month

According to the report, the current pandemic situation could cause some delay in the process but the regulations for the tender will be evaluated by the Executive Council this month and then published.

The Chief Executive will then publish a dispatch for the opening of the tender process and create the commission for the international public tender.

Gaming concessionaires were said to have already created teams to prepare the documentation that will be submitted to the public tender, which is expected to advance in August.

Last week, operators and the government were said to have held a meeting in which they clarified some issues and conveyed to the six license holders that they must work quickly in the preparation of the candidacies.

When launching the public tender, the Government must define a period of one month for the submission of candidacies, namely all the documentation to be presented by the candidates.

After submitting the documentation, the tender committee will verify that the documents are all in compliance.

Assessing the suitability and financial capacity of candidates is another issue to be analyzed.

The next step will be the discussion, between the tender committee and the companies, on the details of the proposals submitted to the tender. What should happen between September and October.

The decision to award the concessions, a maximum of six as defined by law, may take place at the end of October or November.

The negotiation of the specific terms of the concession contracts will follow, and the contracts must be signed in December, with the new concessions to come into force on January 1, 2023.
By Nelson Moura