Macau authorities received a total of 148 requests for exclusion from the city’s casinos in the three months to 30 September 2019, an increase of six requests on the 142 received in the previous quarter, according to latest figures from the Gaming Inspection and Coordination Bureau.
The figure is in line with quarterly numbers throughout 2019, with the 149 received in 1Q19 and 142 in 2Q19 taking the current total to 439. Given Macau authorities received 490 requests through all of 2018, it appears this year’s exclusion requests will far exceed previous years.
3Q19 exclusion requests included 129 self-exclusion requests, taking the yearly total to 381, while Third Party exclusion requests numbered 19 for a 2019 total of 58.
The number of exclusion requests received has continued to grow since the scheme was first implemented in 2012, rising from 30 in its first year to 276 in 2013, 280 in 2014, 355 in 2015, 351 in 2016, 376 in 2017 and 490 last year. On current figures, 2019 exclusion requests will reach the high 500s.
In IAG’s view, it may well be that the rising numbers do not reflect an increase in problem gambling itself, but instead an increase in awareness of the availability of exclusion as a tool to minimize harm from problem gambling.
Under Macau law, an exclusion order can be applied for a maximum of two years before requiring renewal, with fines of up to MOP$10,000 for prohibited persons found violating an order or up to MOP$500,000 for operators.
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