Part III: Business & Regulation · Gaming Regulation & Compliance

Concessionaire

Legal

A company that has been granted a concession contract by the government to operate casino gaming in a jurisdiction. In Macau, the gaming market is structured as a government monopoly with private concessionaires: the government holds the monopoly on gaming, and commercial operation is permitted only through concession contracts with approved entities. As of 2023, Macau has six gaming concessionaires (formerly three concessionaires and three sub-concessionaires). Concessionaires must meet stringent suitability, financial capacity, and investment obligations, and are subject to comprehensive government oversight.

In practice

Under Macau’s 2022 Gaming Law amendments, the sub-concession system was eliminated. All six operators now hold direct concessions.

One entry from the Casino Industry Glossary — 1,157 terms written for surveillance, compliance and operations professionals rather than for players. Definitions describe industry usage; where a term carries a regulatory meaning, verify against the instrument that governs your jurisdiction.