The Second Standing Committee of the Macau Legislative Assembly (AL) held first discussions Tuesday on a bill governing the city’s junkets and satellite operations, with members seeking clarity over a range of key clauses, including the “financial qualifications” of intermediaries.
Committee chairman Chan Mak Mo told media after Tuesday’s meeting that committee members were concerned by a clause in the junket bill which stipulates, “the issuance or renewal of the license shall take into account the scale of the gaming junket industry.”
Their primary query, he said, is whether this clause will indirectly reduce the issuance of gaming junket licenses and have asked the government to explain why this clause was included.
Some members also mentioned the definition of “financial capacity” – again calling on the government to explain the key points of such financial qualifications required by gaming junkets. Under the junket bill, all junkets are required to have “adequate financial capacity, while established junket companies must have a share capital of at least MOP$10 million (US$1.24 million).
The meeting will continue discussions on Thursday 28 April.
Discussions over the bill, titled “Regime for the exploitation of games of chance”, came as Chan revealed that the government may return the main gaming law, “Amendment to Law No. 16/2001 – Legal framework for the exploitation of games of chance in casinos” to the group for further discussions this week.
The gaming law amendments have already been discussed by the Second Standing Committee “many times”, he said, with government currently finalising revisions to the text. The committee will meet again once the law is returned, possibly within this week.
According to Chan, the AL is working to ensure there is no clash between Macau’s amended gaming law and the new junket bill, with the latter hoped to be passed by the end of the AL session in August.
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