In the recent days, there has been a new proposal announced by the government of Macau, which is aiming to regulate the access to casino venues in the area. The Gaming Inspection and Coordination Bureau (DICJ) made the proposal public at a press conference this Tuesday and the main topic of the discussion was how these changes are going to affect the current state of the gaming sector.
Paulo Martins Chan is the Director of DICJ presented the new idea of revision of a certain law, approved in 2012. He stated that there has been some flaw discovered in the regulation through the years and now is the right time to make a difference and change the way the gaming industry works. According to him, the new regulation will prove to be beneficial for both the casino operators and the casino enthusiasts since this change will give a breath of fresh air to the field in general.
Hidden Threats of the Casino Industry
There are three main points which were introduced at the press conference, and they were aimed towards different sectors of the field. The first one was guaranteeing protection to the employees of casino venues and people who work directly with the players against gambling addictions of all sorts. Such frontline workers are often overlooked when it comes to problem gambling measures, but they might be the most threatened by it since they are exposed to this lifestyle at all times. They often consider themselves being more proficient in the game of luck and this often leads to their addiction to gambling.
The new proposal is going to aim at preventing the casino employees from entering the gambling venues when they are not on duty. In the case of disobeying, there are sanctions amounting to MOP1,000, going up to MOP10,000. Among those who will be affected by the new law are croupiers, pit managers, casino tellers, dealers, and public relations staff. Next up in Mr. Chan’s schedule was the issue with penalties applied on casino players under the age of 21. Because the current process is considered very time-consuming, the Director’s proposition is to sanction each and every one of the underage players with a MOP1,000 fine which must be paid in the following 15 days.
The last step of the new agenda for a more responsible gaming is related to illegal players, such as underage ones or players prohibited from playing. Their winnings will not only have to be deposited in a special casino treasury account, but the casino itself is obliged to repay them all the money they have lost while playing. All profits will be directed to Macao Special Administrative Region (MSAR). The proposition will have 30 days public consultation period starting today and next year is expected to see the Legislative Assembly’s discussion of it.
