Macau\u2019s Legislative Assembly is expected to give a first reading to the bill on junket businesses and satellite casinos on Wednesday.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n
Macau.- Macau’s Legislative Assembly has scheduled its first reading of\u00a0the new bill on junket businesses<\/a>\u00a0and satellite casinos for Wednesday (April 20). The Gaming Inspection and Co-ordination Bureau (DICJ)<\/strong>\u00a0drafted the amendments to gaming promoter regulations in parallel with Macau\u2019s gaming law amendment bill<\/a>. Both must be approved ahead of a new public tender for Macau gaming rights.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n According to a press release from the executive committee, the bill aims to improve oversight of the industry. It would allow junket operators to each work with\u00a0only one casino operator<\/a>. Individuals will no longer be licensed as intermediaries; only companies.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The bill also provides criminal penalties for junkets who \u201cillegally accept deposits from the public.\u201d Offenders could face up to five years in prison.<\/p>\n\n\n\n As previously reported by Focus Gaming News, authorities have announced that the current gaming credit law <\/strong>in Macau may also be amended to improve regulatory standards.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The announcement was made in a memorandum submitted to the Legislative Assembly, along with the new bill that sets out the definitions of junket operators, casino sector management companies and employees. The draft law is titled Regulations on Gambling in Casinos.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The government said that while Law 8\/96\/M on illegal gambling regulates several gambling-related crimes and offences, it was time to update the law.<\/p>\n\n\n\n It said: \u201cThe Macau government considers \u2026 it is necessary to improve the respective legal regime to strengthen supervision and ensure the healthy and orderly development of the city\u2019s gaming industry.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n Law 8\/96\/M punishes all forms of operating, promoting or supporting gaming outside of authorised venues, as well as any fraudulent or illegal gaming within authorised areas, or the provision of loans or gaming credits to customers without a licence.<\/p>\n\n\n\nMacau to revise gaming credit law<\/h2>\n\n\n\n