Macau Legislative Assembly approves gaming credit bill

The legislation will enter force on August 1.

Macau.- The Legislative Assembly has passed the bill on casino credit and junket contracts (the Legal Regime of Credit Concession for Gambling in Casinos). The bill received 29 votes in favour and will come into effect on August 1. 

Only gaming concessionaires and their affiliated junkets will be permitted to provide credit to players. Non-affiliated junkets and management companies, including third-party promoters of satellite casinos, will be prohibited from offering credit. 

Any violation of the provision could result in a maximum fine of MOP5m (US$620,000). A new amendment added to the bill gives Macau’s chief executive the authority to terminate any casino concessionaire’s right to grant gambling credit to customers.

Legislator Chan Chak Mo, head of the legislative panel responsible for reviewing the bill, said that under Macau’s revised regulatory framework for gaming introduced with operators’ new 10-year concessions that began in January 2023, the role of junkets is only to “assist” concessionaires.