Melco Resorts & Entertainment

Melco Resorts & Entertainment is a global developer, owner, and operator of casino integrated resorts, founded in 2006 and headquartered in Hong Kong. Listed on the Nasdaq (NASDAQ: MLCO), Melco is one of Macau's "Big Six" casino concessionaires, operating three major properties: City of Dreams Macau, Studio City Macau, and Altira Macau. The group also operates City of Dreams Manila in the Philippines and City of Dreams Mediterranean in Cyprus (the largest integrated resort in Europe).

Melco is widely recognized as a premium brand innovator in the Asian gaming market, known for its distinctive design-led properties, art-infused resorts, and focus on the premium mass-market segment. The flagship City of Dreams Macau on the Cotai Strip features the iconic Morpheus hotel tower (designed by Zaha Hadid), House of Dancing Water aqua theater, and luxury brands including Grand Hyatt, Hyatt City of Dreams, and the Nüwa and Countess luxury hotel brands.

Melco is licensed and regulated by the Macau Gaming Inspection and Coordination Bureau (DICJ) under Macau's new 10-year gaming concession (2022-2032), PAGCOR in the Philippines, and the Cyprus National Gaming Authority. The group is known for its "Inspiring the World" brand philosophy, commitment to art and design, and focus on the premium mass-market segment rather than traditional VIP junket operations.

City of Dreams Macau

City of Dreams Macau is Melco's flagship integrated resort on the Cotai Strip, featuring the iconic Morpheus hotel tower (designed by Zaha Hadid, 770+ rooms), Grand Hyatt Macau (800+ rooms), Hyatt City of Dreams, and the luxury Nüwa and Countess brands. The resort offers 450+ gaming tables, 1,000+ slot machines, the House of Dancing Water aqua theater (the world's largest water-based stage show), 20+ restaurants, and extensive retail and entertainment. City of Dreams targets the premium mass-market and premium VIP segments.

Studio City Macau

Studio City Macau is Melco's entertainment-themed integrated resort on the Cotai Strip, featuring a cinematic Art Deco design, 1,600+ hotel rooms (including the Star Tower and Celebrity Tower), 400+ gaming tables, 1,000+ slot machines, the Studio 8 indoor roller coaster, Batman-themed entertainment, and a Golden Reel figure-eight Ferris wheel. Studio City emphasizes non-gaming entertainment and family tourism, with a Hollywood-inspired theme.

Altira Macau

Altira Macau is Melco's property on the Macau Peninsula (Taipa), targeting the VIP and premium mass-market segments. Altira features 216 hotel rooms and suites, 220+ gaming tables, 120+ slot machines, and multiple restaurants. Altira is known for its personalized service and intimate, high-end gaming environment.

City of Dreams Manila

City of Dreams Manila is Melco's integrated resort in the Philippines (operated in partnership with SM Group), featuring 940+ hotel rooms (Crown Towers, Nobu Hotel, Hyatt), 350+ gaming tables, 1,500+ slot machines, and extensive retail, dining, and entertainment. The property targets the Philippine market and international tourists visiting Manila.

City of Dreams Mediterranean (Cyprus)

City of Dreams Mediterranean is Melco's European integrated resort in Limassol, Cyprus — the largest integrated resort in Europe. The property features 500+ hotel rooms and villas, 100+ gaming tables, 1,000+ slot machines, a 1,500-seat amphitheater, extensive MICE facilities, and multiple restaurants. The resort targets European and Middle Eastern tourists, representing Melco's expansion beyond Asia.

House of Dancing Water

The House of Dancing Water at City of Dreams Macau is the world's largest water-based stage show, featuring a 5-meter-deep pool holding 3.7 million gallons of water, acrobatic performances, and artistic storytelling. The show is a signature non-gaming attraction that has drawn millions of visitors since its 2010 premiere.

2004 — Melco International Development

Melco International Development, led by Lawrence Ho (son of Stanley Ho, the former Macau gaming monopoly holder), began exploring gaming opportunities in Macau following the 2002 liberalization of Macau's gaming industry.

2006 — Melco PBL Joint Venture

Melco formed a joint venture with Publishing and Broadcasting Limited (PBL) (Kerry Packer's Australian media and gaming group), creating Melco PBL Entertainment to develop and operate casinos in Macau. The joint venture was later renamed Melco Crown Entertainment after PBL's gaming arm was rebranded as Crown Limited.

2006 — Altira Macau Opening

Melco opened its first Macau property, Altira Macau (originally Crown Macau), on the Macau Peninsula. Altira targeted the premium VIP and mass-market segments, establishing Melco as a significant player in Macau's gaming market.

2009 — City of Dreams Macau Opening

Melco opened City of Dreams Macau on the Cotai Strip, its flagship integrated resort. The opening marked Melco's transformation into a major Cotai Strip operator, with the Morpheus tower (designed by Zaha Hadid) later added in 2018.

2011 — House of Dancing Water Premiere

City of Dreams Macau premiered the House of Dancing Water, the world's largest water-based stage show. The show became a signature non-gaming attraction and a symbol of Melco's commitment to entertainment and art.

2012 — City of Dreams Manila Opening

Melco opened City of Dreams Manila in partnership with SM Group, marking its first expansion outside Macau. The property established Melco as a regional Asian gaming operator.

2015 — Studio City Macau Opening

Melco opened Studio City Macau, an entertainment-themed integrated resort with a cinematic Art Deco design. Studio City emphasized non-gaming entertainment, including the Studio 8 roller coaster and Batman-themed attractions.

2016 — Crown Stake Sale & Rebrand

Melco International Development acquired Crown Resorts' stake in Melco Crown Entertainment, taking full ownership and rebranding the company as Melco Resorts & Entertainment. Lawrence Ho became the sole controlling shareholder, ending the decade-long partnership with the Packer family.

2017 — Nasdaq Listing

Melco Resorts & Entertainment was listed on the Nasdaq Stock Exchange (NASDAQ: MLCO), raising its profile with international investors and providing currency for future expansion.

2022 — New 10-Year Gaming Concession

Melco was awarded a new 10-year gaming concession (2022-2032) by the Macau government, one of six concessionaires. The new concession includes increased non-gaming investment commitments and stricter regulatory requirements.

2023 — City of Dreams Mediterranean Opening

Melco opened City of Dreams Mediterranean in Limassol, Cyprus — the largest integrated resort in Europe. The opening represented Melco's expansion beyond Asia into the European market.

Melco Resorts & Entertainment is committed to responsible gambling across all its properties, with comprehensive player protection measures and a focus on the premium mass-market segment rather than traditional VIP junket operations.

Multi-Jurisdiction Compliance

Melco operates under licenses from the Macau Gaming Inspection and Coordination Bureau (DICJ), PAGCOR (Philippines), and the Cyprus National Gaming Authority. Each license requires strict adherence to local responsible gambling regulations, including age verification, self-exclusion, AML/KYC, and regulatory reporting.

Player Protection Measures

• Age Verification: Strict 21+ age verification at entry to Macau properties (18+ in Philippines and Cyprus, per local law).
• Self-Exclusion: Players can voluntarily exclude themselves from Melco casinos. Macau operates a government-run self-exclusion registry.
• Staff Training: All customer-facing staff complete responsible gambling training, including identification of problem gambling behavior and intervention procedures.
• Information Resources: Responsible gambling information is displayed prominently throughout Melco properties, with contact details for local problem gambling support services.

Premium Mass Focus & VIP Reforms

Melco has strategically focused on the premium mass-market segment rather than traditional VIP junket operations, reducing its exposure to the regulatory and financial risks associated with junket promoters. Following Macau's junket crackdown (2021-2022), Melco has further strengthened direct VIP operations and reduced reliance on third-party junket operators.

Anti-Money Laundering (AML) Compliance

Melco implements comprehensive AML and KYC procedures in compliance with Macau, Philippine, and Cypriot regulations, including transaction monitoring, suspicious activity reporting, and customer due diligence for high-value transactions.