Online gambling in Macau not planned legislative committee says

The government has said it has no plans to grant a concession for online gaming.

Macau.- The Macau government has no plans to issue a public concession for online gaming. That’s according to an opinion document drawn up by a Legislative Assembly committee before the passing of the bill on Combating Illegal Gambling Crimes.

According to GGRAsia, the document notes the government had not authorised any concession for the exploration of online gaming and betting, nor had plans to grant a concession.

Macau’s new legislation bans the operation, promotion, and organisation of online gambling. Those found breaching the law could face up to eight years in prison. The measure was introduced in a bid to combat illicit online gambling, which has reportedly been growing in popularity.

Meanwhile, the bill on Combating Illegal Gambling Crimes also prohibits the sale of the Mark Six lottery organised by the Hong Kong Jockey Club (HKJC). According to Macau Business, sales will result in a maximum prison term of two years or financial penalties.

Lawmaker Ron Lam had called for the activity to be excluded, arguing that Mark Six lottery tickets were often sold by small local shops that did not engage in organised illegal operations. However, Cheong Weng Chon, Macau’s secretary for administration and justice, argued during the final reading that a ban was needed to prevent young people from easily accessing lottery tickets.

Rise in gambling-related crimes in Macau

Unrelated to the issue of online gambling, the Office of the Secretary for Security in Macau last month reported that gaming-related crimes rose 61.8 per cent year-on-year to 683 in the first half of the year. The figure remained 29.4 per cent lower than in 2019. Authorities attributed the rise to the increase in visitor traffic and the recovery of the gaming industry.

Casino-related scams accounted for 23.3 per cent of cases, with 159 instances. That’s an increase of 67.4 per cent in year-on-year terms. Among these cases, 82 instances involved currency exchange, reflecting a 90.7 per cent rise.

See also: Macau chief prosecutor vows to tackle casino-related crime