The Macau government “does not have any plans” to grant a public concession for “online gaming”. The point was spelled out in an opinion document issued by a committee of the city’s Legislative Assembly prior to Wednesday’s passing of the “Law to Combat Crimes of Illegal Gambling”.
The opinion document stated, quoting the local government: “To date, the Macau SAR [Special Administrative Region] Government has not granted any concession for the exploration of online gaming and betting, nor does it have any plans to grant a concession for online gaming.”
Separate from the legal concept of a public concession for online gaming, the new law specifically mentions a ban on any operation or promotion of unauthorised online gambling activities.
It says anyone who – without government authorisation – “explores, promotes or organises” online gambling or online mutual betting in Macau is liable on conviction to a prison sentence ranging from one year up to eight years, regardless of whether such activity is done “on a regular basis”.
That had been put in the new law to ensure “effective combat” of online gambling activities, which had been trending upward, said the opinion document.
Nonetheless, the concept of online gaming does exist in Macau’s “Legal Framework for the Operations of Casino Games of Fortune”, under the heading “interactive games”, also noted the opinion document.
That legal framework defines interactive games as those involving play for cash or other form of value, and that use either “telephones, faxes, Internet access, data networks, transmission of video signals, or digital data”.
The legal framework specifically states that Macau’s six casino operators – that saw their respective 10-year gaming concessions come into effect from January 2023 – are prohibited from operating interactive gaming.
