Macau restructures Gaming Inspection and Coordination Bureau
Authorities in Macau have announced the appointment of 14 new staff to increase the number of management personnel for the Gaming Inspection and Coordination Bureau (DICJ).
Macau.- The Gaming Inspection and Coordination Bureau (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.
Wynn Macau expects casino licence renewal
Wynn Macau says it’s confident that authorities will eventually extend its gaming licence beyond the current expiration date of June 26, 2022.
With Macau’s legislative elections will be held on September 12, and relevant public consultation and legal amendments to the gaming law still yet to come, it appears there will be no time to prepare for a re-tendering in time for when licences expire next year. As a result, operators believe extensions are the only option.
Lawrence Ho, Melco’s chairman and CEO, has also said he expects licences to be renewed, while Sands China CEO Wilfred Wong Ying Wai, has said it “is the only alternative at this point.”
In July, Macau’s secretary for economy and finance said a public consultation on gaming law will be held in the second half of this year – a committee of legislators has urged the government to announce an exact date “to avoid causing constant doubts.”
In August, a subcommittee of the Macau Legislative Assembly issued a report with recommendations for the government, suggesting authorities should give more information about changes to the licence criteria and the extension of current gaming concessions.
Members also suggested authorities should not rush to renew licences, arguing that this might result in “lower-quality” bids for the city’s gaming rights.
