Macau's Satellite-Casino Era Ends as the Last Venue Closes at Midnight
Landmark Casino, the last of Macau's third-party 'satellite' casinos, shut at midnight on January 1, 2026 under the 2022 gaming law. Eleven venues closed; SJM kept two under direct control.
At a Glance
- Three-year transition under Law 7/2022 ended December 31, 2025
- Landmark Casino ceased operations at midnight on January 1, 2026
- 11 venues closed; first was Casino Grandview on July 30, 2025
- About 5,600 local and 400 overseas staff affected; nearly 3,500 reassigned, per the government
Macau's last remaining satellite casino, Landmark Casino, ceased operations at midnight on January 1, 2026, closing a distinctive chapter in the city's gaming history (NEXT.io, January 2026).
What a Satellite Casino Was
Satellite casinos were gaming floors operated by third parties — typically hotel owners — under one of the six concessionaires' licences, a structure that dated to Macau's earlier gaming era. Law 7/2022, the gaming law that accompanied the 2022 re-tendering of the concessions, gave them a three-year transition to either restructure under direct concessionaire control or exit by December 31, 2025.
In all, 11 satellite venues closed. The first to go was Casino Grandview in Taipa, on July 30, 2025 (Gambling Insider, 2025). SJM Resorts chose to retain two — Casino Ponte 16 and Casino L'Arc Macau — by bringing them under direct ownership and control.
The People and the Numbers
The government said the 11 venues had employed about 5,600 local and 400 overseas workers, and that nearly 3,500 staff had been reassigned as the deadline approached (Asia Gaming Brief, December 22, 2025). Officials characterized the effect on gross gaming revenue as minimal, describing the satellites' contribution as a low single-digit percentage of the total.
Where the Baccarat Went
Satellite floors mattered to baccarat players out of proportion to their revenue share. They were often where lower-minimum baccarat tables and a grind-player culture survived while the flagship resorts moved upmarket. Their disappearance concentrates baccarat within the six concessionaires' own properties — and, at the top end, in the premium salons those operators are now expanding (see our report on Galaxy Macau's Capella).
Why It Matters for Baccarat Players
If you knew Macau for its neighborhood casinos and modest-minimum baccarat, that Macau is gone. The market is now entirely concessionaire-run, more premium, and — as the DICJ's 2025 and 2026 figures show — more baccarat-heavy than ever.
Sources
- NEXT.io: Macau's satellite casino segment closes as last venue shuts down (January 2026)
- Gambling Insider: Macau to phase out 11 satellite casinos by year-end (2025)
- Asia Gaming Brief: Macau govt says 3,500 staff reassigned as satellite casino exit nears (December 22, 2025)
Editor's note: Outlets report the count of affected venues as 9, 11 or 'up to 11' depending on whether SJM's two retained casinos are included; this article uses 11 venues, of which two were retained.