Microsoft Outage Cripples Casino Resorts in Macau and Manila
Last week’s catastrophic Microsoft outage brought global travel and many businesses to a halt, severely impacting casino resort operations in key gaming hubs in Asia. The cybersecurity infrastructure meltdown, which originated from a software update by cybersecurity firm CrowdStrike, affected casino resorts in China’s Macau and the Philippines’ Manila.
Impact on Macau Casinos
In Macau, the only region in China where casino gambling is permitted, at least three of the six major casino operators reported significant operational disruptions due to the Microsoft outage. Macau’s Judiciary Police confirmed on Monday that the IT systems of three casino concession firms were compromised, although they did not disclose the identities of these companies.
Macau officials, including the Cybersecurity Incident Alert and Response Center (CARIC), are closely monitoring the situation. Despite the severity of the global cyber incident, local authorities claim that its impact on Macau has been “relatively limited and controlled.”
“Based on the information collected so far, the impact of this global cyber security incident on Macau is relatively limited and controlled,” a police statement read.
While the outage primarily affected back-of-house operations in Macau, meaning that guests did not notice any significant disruptions, the internal computer systems of the casinos were nonetheless affected. The three casino operators, who manage numerous resorts and satellite gaming venues across the enclave, have since reported these issues to local law enforcement.
Effects in Manila
In Manila, the capital of the Philippines, the Solaire Resort & Casino, located in the Entertainment City gaming and entertainment district, experienced widespread disruptions on its casino floor. Local reports indicated that many of the casino’s nearly 2,000 slot machines displayed blue error screens throughout the weekend.
Solaire Resort & Casino is owned and operated by Bloomberry Resorts, which recently opened Solaire North, a $1 billion integrated resort casino about an hour’s drive north of Entertainment City. Fortunately, there were no media reports of Solaire North being impacted by the Microsoft outage.
Causes and Responses
The outage was traced back to a cybersecurity update released by CrowdStrike on July 18. The update caused malfunctions in many millions of computers and networks running on the Microsoft Windows operating system. CrowdStrike, which manages the security of numerous Windows PCs and business networks worldwide, quickly identified and isolated the glitch, deploying a fix to restore affected systems.
Despite these efforts, the initial disruption was extensive. The outage not only affected casino and resort operations but also took websites offline, disrupted television broadcasts, and grounded thousands of flights globally. Delta Airlines, in particular, continues to experience ongoing issues related to the incident.
Microsoft acknowledged the widespread impact of the outage, emphasizing the interconnected nature of today’s global tech ecosystem. The company underscored the importance of prioritizing safe deployment and disaster recovery mechanisms.
“This incident demonstrates the interconnected nature of our broad ecosystem — global cloud providers, software platforms, security vendors and other software vendors, and customers. It’s also a reminder of how important it is for all of us across the tech ecosystem to prioritize operating with safe deployment and disaster recovery using the mechanisms that exist,” Microsoft said in a statement.
Conclusion
The Microsoft outage serves as a stark reminder of the vulnerabilities inherent in our interconnected digital world. While the immediate disruptions have been addressed, the incident underscores the need for robust cybersecurity measures and effective disaster recovery plans across all industries, particularly in critical sectors like gaming and travel.
Garry Sputnim is a seasoned journalist and storyteller with over a decade of experience in the trenches of global news. With a keen eye for uncovering stories that resonate, Alex has reported from over 30 countries, bringing light to untold narratives and the human faces behind the headlines. Specializing in investigative journalism, Garry has a knack for technology and social justice issues, weaving compelling narratives that bridge tech and humanity. Outside the newsroom, Garry is an avid rock climber and podcast host, exploring stories of resilience and innovation.