“Other methods of moving money are also disappearing,” reports the Wall Street Journal<\/em>. “Jewelry counters on casino floors, where gamblers could do a quick buy-and-return transaction and come away with cash, have recently been shut.” This could manifest itself in diminished mass-market play.\u00a0“The government isn’t turning the tap off,” one source told the WSJ<\/em>. “But they don’t want it to get out of control.”<\/p>\n Citing “limited positive catalysts,” Wells Fargo<\/strong> is revising its third- and fourth-quarter projections downward.\u00a0Barclays<\/strong> still forecast 5% to 11% growth in 2H14 but Citigroup<\/strong> is less sunny, projecting only a 4% \u00a0increase.<\/p>\n * The Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas<\/strong> enjoyed a dramatic revenue increase of 17%, shaving second-quarter losses to $13.6 million<\/a>. More In view of the outflux of currency from China, the country’s symbol seems not so much a Great Wall as a giant sieve. This was symbolized recently by the attempt to control UnionPay cash transfers masquerading as purchases in … Continue reading ![\"Macao](\"https:\/\/www.lasvegasadvisor.com\/stiffs-and-georges\/wp-content\/uploads\/2009\/12\/Macao-casino-floor.jpg\")
<\/a>Nonetheless, governmental controls are expected to have a depressive effect on August play in Macao. Estimates range from a 2% increase to a 4% decline. When “anti-corruption” is the phrase of the day, it doesn’t behoove one to be seen betting large at Grand Lisboa<\/strong>. So far in the month, gambling revenues are down 1% from last year<\/a>. Analyst firms like Sterne Agee<\/strong> had expected to see a more solid Macanese recovery by this time, with the World Cup over and bettors expected to have flocked back to the tables.<\/p>\n<\/a>to the point, the Cosmo seems to finally be getting its act together on the gaming floor, where revenues grew 68%<\/a>. Gaming revenue ($51.4 million), however, still continues to be healthily outpaced by food-and-beverage monies ($95.3 million) and rooms ($80.1 million). Only entertainment and retail ($10.3 million) lagged, undoubtedly pulled down by the poor performance of Vegas Nocturne<\/em>, a fate for which the Cosmo is being sued. Producer Spiegelworld<\/strong> accuses the resort of “sabotaging” the show (although its baroque formula and schedule could be blamed), accusations Cosmo execs brushed off even as they took a $1.5 million writedown on the mini-spectacle.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"