Macao Closes The Doors Of Its 42 Casinos Due To The Passage Of Typhoon Mangkhut
As the terrible typhoon Mangkhut approaches, which has already wreaked havoc on its route, the city of Macao has decided to temporarily close all of its casinos. This decision remains a first in the history of the gambling capital of the world.
A preventive measure
For the first time, Macau has closed the 42 gambling establishments in the territory to the public. With the passage of Typhoon Mangkhut, the country’s authorities decided to take precautions beforehand given the risk of serious flooding. It goes without saying that this initiative was keen to restore the reputation of the metropolis since its lack of preparation during Typhoon Hato last year. Indeed, the executive of the former Portuguese colony has been strongly criticized since the disaster had left at least 12 dead and quite substantial damage. On Saturday evening, key officials announced in a statement that the closure of the city’s 42 casinos had been concluded with the agreement of the gambling companies. The government says the temporary suspension of activities remains a measure that favors the safety of casino workers, tourists and residents. Currently, residents are barricading themselves in their homes and trying to prepare for any eventuality. Many traders have collected sandbags and set them up in front of their stores. It goes without saying that Sunday morning, the city was completely deserted when we are used to seeing the streets crowded with tourists and passing visitors.
The city of Macao has already faced this kind of situation with the passage of Typhoon Hato which swept through the country at the end of August 2017. Due to late reactions which had disastrous consequences, the head of the meteorological services decided to resign. The head of government was forced to apologize to the people by asking the Chinese army for help to help out.
Macao, which has become the casino capital of the world
For a long time, the territory was the only place in this part of China to allow gambling. Its turnover exceeds that of Las Vegas thanks to a wealthy clientele coming to spend their money. However, the backdrop is not long in coming, as the Chinese authorities have launched an anti-corruption campaign aimed at detecting illegal practices linked to money laundering. In order to preserve their reputation, the casino operators have invested in huge complexes including various services such as hotels, theme parks and gastronomy. In addition, the various players in the sector work closely with the authorities in order to carry out their activities and ongoing operations.
Since the reopening of these 42 casinos has been done since the passage of the famous typhoon Mangkhut. Of course, we can say that there has been a huge financial loss due to this closure, but the safety of staff and customers is paramount.