HONG KONG — As Macau’s gambling slump extends beyond a second year, the casino operator that has benefited the most from the city’s decade-long focus on Chinese VIP gamblers is trying to lure a new breed of "very important persons" to prop up revenue.Galaxy Entertainment Group is now rewarding big shoppers with free hotel stays and access to resort facilities — some of the perks once reserved for high-rolling gamblers."A VIP can be either a big gambler or a big shopper," chief marketing officer Kevin Clayton said.While high-stakes gamblers remained an important source of income in Macau, the company was redefining its VIP label, he said.The move comes as Galaxy’s operating margins shrink amid an outflow of high-end customers. While VIP gamblers from China helped Macau leapfrog Las Vegas to become the world’s largest casino hub in the past decade, the segment has nosedived since 2014 as Chinese President Xi Jinping’s crackdown on corruption scared off the high-rollers.Macau has been ...
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