Macau Licenses Two New Junket Operators as Regulated VIP Sector Shows Signs of Recovery

Macau's DICJ approves two new junket licenses, bringing the total to 31 in a highly regulated VIP market following major industry reforms.

By: AXL Media

Published: Apr 1, 2026, 10:50 AM EDT

Source: The information in this article was sourced from iGB

Incremental Growth Within a Strict Regulatory Framework

The Gaming Inspection and Coordination Bureau (DICJ) of Macau has announced the expansion of its licensed junket roster with the addition of Xin Wei Lda and Pok Lok Promoção de Jogos Lda. This development brings the total number of licensed gaming intermediaries to 31, up from 29 in the previous year. Despite this growth, the sector remains a shadow of its former self; at the industry's peak in 2014, 235 junkets dominated the market, contributing approximately 70% of Macau’s total gross gaming revenue. The current figure sits well below the government-mandated cap of 50, signaling that while the sector is recovering, the entry barriers remain high under new transparency laws.

The Fallout of High-Profile Scandals

The decline of the traditional junket model was accelerated by a series of high-profile criminal convictions that reshaped the global gaming capital. In 2023, Suncity Group founder Alvin Chau was sentenced to 18 years in prison for organized crime and illegal gambling, a case that revealed billions in undeclared bets and lost tax revenue. Similarly, Tak Chun leader Levo Chan received a 14-year sentence for defrauding both casinos and the local government. These scandals prompted the central government in Beijing to intensify its anti-corruption crusade, focusing on illicit capital flight and the circumvention of currency controls by mainland VIP gamblers.

New Rules of Engagement for Intermediaries

Under Macau’s 2023 gaming law, the operational powers of junkets have been severely curtailed to prevent money laundering and financial malpractice. Junkets are now strictly prohibited from issuing lines of credit to players or managing their own dedicated VIP rooms within casinos. Furthermore, each junket is limited to partnering with only one of Macau’s six major casino concessionaires. In terms of compensation, the previous revenue-sharing model has been replaced by a fixed 1.25% commission on rolling-chip turnover, a move designed to decouple the intermediaries from the direct financial performance of the gaming operators.