The Macau SAR Government has announced details of a new law regulating the operations of the city’s junkets.
Macau’s Executive Council outlined the key aspects of draft amendments to the Bill, “Legal Framework for Casino Gambling” on Thursday before submitting it to the Legislative Assembly (AL) for further discussion. The amended Bill, which will work in conjunction with a new gaming law already working its way through the AL, would establish the conditions for activities of gaming concessionaires, junkets, agents and management companies.
In particular, it confirms that junket promoters would be only allowed to provide services to one concessionaire each, and that all contracts between those junkets and their chosen concessionaire must be approved by the Gaming Inspection and Coordination Bureau (DICJ).
The law would also clarify gaming-related criminal and administrative offences and set criminal penalties for activities such as accepting illegal deposits and breaching of rules by agents and sub-agents, while conditions for the closure of gaming areas would be established.
At a press conference announcing details of the new Bill on Thursday, DICJ Director Adriano Ho also confirmed that the government has now received applications from all six concessionaires to extend their current concessions by six months, from an expiration date of 26 June 2022 to 31 December 2022.
Ho said the DICJ was currently analyzing the applications and would make relevant announcements at the appropriate time. However, he refrained from revealing what the renewal fees will be, despite the amounts now being widely reported.
On the topic of junkets, Ho said there were currently 37 junket promoters still in operation from a list of 46 promoters approved by the DICJ in January.
