The last-minute entrance of Malaysia-based Genting Berhad into the Macau casino licensing process was viewed by market analysts as more of an oddity than a disruption that could cost one of the three Nevada-based casino operators their position in the Asian gaming capital.

Since the early 2000s, Las Vegas Sands, MGM Resorts International and three Asian-based casino operators have invested billions of dollars into developing Macau casino resorts, turning the Special Administrative Region of China into the world’s largest pre-pandemic gaming market.

Macau only allows six gaming licenses, and Genting — which owns Resorts World-branded casinos in Singapore, Malaysia and New York in addition to the one in Las Vegas — isn’t considered a danger as a seventh entry into the process.