Sociedade de Jogos de Macau (SJM) is hoping the government will give the company an answer within this year regarding its land application for two parcels in Cotai, said chief executive officer, Ambrose So Shu Fai. Mr So stressed that SJM would be interested in also developing the so-called parcels 7 and 8, in Cotai, if they become available. Those two parcels have been earmarked by Sands China for some years already. The company has invested more than US$160 million in sites 7 and 8, anticipating the government will grant those parcels to the company. “We hope to have a larger space for development… SJM has the least exposure in Cotai so we’ve expressed that if there is other land available [Sands China parcels 7 and 8] we’ll be interested in it,” Mr So said. SJM’s CEO also welcomed the potential increase of the minimum age limit to enter casinos from 18 to 21, as proposed by the government. He stressed that this would allow “minors [to] stay in school to study more before they join a profession”. Meanwhile, Mr So said he suggested to the chief executive the refund of part of the 1.6 percent of gross gaming revenue that the casino operators pay in taxes to Macau Foundation for the development of culture, technology, education, social organisations and leisure in the territory. Mr So said the gaming operators should then reinvest the money refunded by Macau Foundation in cultural, recreational and educational activities for their workers. Mr So also requested the chief executive to lay down clearer regulations regarding the imported labour quotas in order for gaming concessionaires to better plan their human resources management strategies.
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