The junket business in Macau remains in the doldrums and led to closure of 30 to 40 VIP gaming rooms in the past six months.

According to president of the Association of Gaming and Entertainment Promoters Kwok Chi Chung, the number of VIP gaming rooms in Macau has shrunk from 146 to around 100 as junket operators continue to be distressed by bad debts and tighter capital liquidity.

Kwok also attributed the VIP room’s closures to the alleged capital theft from local junket operator Dore Entertainment Co. Ltd. in September, which has prompted some investors to withdraw funds.

“The Dore incident really imposed a negative image on the VIP gaming industry,” Kwok told Macau Business Daily.