Macau casinos must add flashing clocks to slots by 2024
Authorities have announced that all Macau casinos must add flashing clocks to slot machines.
Macau.- Macau’s regulator, the Gaming Inspection and Coordination Bureau (DICJ) has announced that all Macau casinos must feature flashing clocks on their slot machines by the end of 2024.
The measure aims to prevent gambling harm by ensuring gamblers know how long they have been playing. Machines must display the 12-hour-clock in the bottom right corner of the main screen. The clock must flash at the start of each play session and at least every 10 minutes of the session.
The rules state that the player screen should not have any secret touch focuses or secret buttons. The DICJ says there are currently 9,871 slot machines in Macau, including electronic table game terminals.
Macau restructures Gaming Inspection and Coordination Bureau
The DICJ has started its restructuring process by hiring new officials. The current DICJ director, Adriano Marques Ho, said the appointees will help the organisation in “strengthening its inspection capacity and in enhancing gaming-related legislation.”
The newly-arrived departmental and divisional chiefs will be responsible for capacities including legal matters and authorising the general guidelines for the city’s gaming concessionaires, junkets, and gaming innovation, including any examinations that may be required.
In June, Macau’s Executive Council drew up a draft proposal to restructure the Gaming Inspection and Coordination Bureau (DICJ) to increase the number of gaming inspectors from 192 to 459. The amendment also proposed adding an extra director of the DICJ to better develop tasks related to the coordination of the divisions within the bureau.
Marques Ho was appointed in May to replace Paulo Martins Chan after he resigned from the position. He started his term on June 10 and will remain DICJ director for two years.
One of his main tasks is to analyse Macau’s gaming licence criteria and gaming laws as Macau’s current casino licences are due to expire in June 2022.
