Ho said the handover process had been completed smoothly, without any disruption to guests or casino operations. “This was truly a seamless handover,” she said, adding that “not our hotel guests, and not even those players in the casino” noticed any change when the transition was completed in the early hours of the morning.
She described L’Arc as a stable and well-managed property whose operating team and business model had remained consistent over the years, saying SJM hopes to make “even better use” of the casino to attract more visitors to Macau.
The move comes as Macau’s three-year transition period for satellite casinos concludes at the end of this year. L’Arc is the only satellite casino to have successfully transitioned to a self-operated model, after all other satellite casinos ceased operations.
According to the Gaming Inspection and Coordination Bureau (DICJ), SJM formally applied to terminate L’Arc’s satellite casino status at 1:59 a.m. on December 30th, citing commercial considerations, and simultaneously sought approval to operate the casino directly. Authorities said the application met all legal requirements and was approved.
While L’Arc is now directly operated by SJM, Ho said the casino’s operating approach would not change significantly in the near term. “For now, we believe the customer flow will largely remain the same,” she said, noting that many players displaced by nearby satellite casino closures are looking for familiar gaming environments.
SJM marked the transition later on Tuesday with a ceremony at the property featuring traditional lion dances, as the operator joined guests and residents in welcoming the New Year. Crowds gathered today after the event to have a glimpse of the new casino after the ceremony.
As part of the transition, the number of gaming tables at L’Arc has increased from just over 40 to 100, a change that has already been implemented, Ho said.
Explaining the rationale behind the move, SJM’s Managing Director said it was not driven by a single factor but reflected SJM’s broader strategy on the Macau peninsula. She added that L’Arc was more suitable for the group’s overall layout than other properties previously considered for acquisition.
The transition follows government approval on December 12th for the transfer of the hotel and casino units at L’Arc Hotel to SJM and its subsidiary. The transfer involves more than 86,000 square metres of space formerly owned by Arc Of Triumph Development Company Limited, which is controlled by SJM executive director Angela Leong.
The acquisition was completed on December 15th after independent shareholders of SJM Holdings approved a HK$1.75 billion ($224 million) transaction, which also includes the repayment of most of the target company’s HK$1.93 billion ($247 million) debt.
Ho said gaming tables released from closed satellite casinos were being reallocated across SJM’s self-operated properties, including Grand Lisboa, Hotel Lisboa, Crystal Palace, Jai Alai Oceanus and Grand Lisboa Palace.
The closure of Casino Landmark later this Tuesday will mark the end of Macau’s decades-long satellite casino model. The city’s final remaining satellite casino is set to cease operations at 11:59 p.m. on December 30th following the expiry of a three-year transition period under Macau’s revised gaming law.
The casino also operated under SJM’s license, with the shutdown date announced after the concessionaire reached an agreement with the service provider. The move follows the earlier closure of Casino Fortuna, also under SJM’s license, which ceased operations on December 9th.
Following the closure of Casino Landmark , “by tomorrow all of the gaming tables will have been allocated to our self-operated casinos,” she said.
Asked about the financial impact of transferring employees back under SJM’s management, Ho declined to comment, saying details would be provided when the company releases its results.
Dingnews.com 30/12/2025