The Macau government has extended for two more years the tenure of Adriano Marques Ho (pictured in a file photo) as head of the city’s gaming regulator.
According to an announcement published on Wednesday in Macau’s Official Gazette, Mr Ho has been appointed for an additional 24-month term as director of the Gaming Inspection and Coordination Bureau, a body also known as DICJ. His new term starts on June 10.
Mr Ho, a former advisor to the city’s Secretary for Security, was sworn in during June last year as director of the Gaming Inspection and Coordination Bureau, for a one-year term.
He succeeded Paulo Martins Chan, who went back to working as a public prosecutor, after heading the gaming regulator since December 2015.
Mr Ho has a law degree from the University of Science and Technology of Macau. He worked in the city’s Judiciary Police for a number of years, and between 2012 and 2014 led the force’s gaming-related and economic crimes investigation unit. From 2004 to 2010 he was head of the Macao Sub-Bureau of the China National Central Bureau of Interpol.
As DICJ head, Mr Ho has adopted a low profile and made limited public comments on matters related with the gaming regulator.
It is anticipated by gaming industry commentators he will have a large volume of work in the coming two years. Tasks include a revision of the city’s gaming laws as announced by the local government, and the preparation work for a fresh public tender process to be launched for Macau gaming rights. Such rights are currently held by six casino operators and expire in June 2022.
