• About Us
  • The Team
  • Advertise with Us

The latest news on the gaming industry in Asia

() () () () () () () () () () () () () () () () () () () () () () () () () () () () () () () () () () () () () () () () () () () () () () () () () () () () () () () () () () () () () () () () () () () () () () () () () () () () () () () () () () () () () () () () () () () () () () () () () ()
  • Home
  • Macau
  • Philippines
  • Singapore
  • Japan
  • Rest of Asia
  • World
  • Industry Talk
  • Trends & Tech
  • iGaming
  • follow
    • Facebook
    • Twitter
    • RSS Feed
    • LinkedIn

Macau sets up UnionPay card monitoring in real time

Dec 14, 2015 Newsdesk Latest News, Macau, Top of the deck  


Macau sets up UnionPay card monitoring in real time

The Monetary Authority of Macao announced on Friday it would implement a real time monitoring system for payments made via China UnionPay Co Ltd bank cards. Deutsche Bank Securities Inc said in a note the announcement can be read as a negative for the city’s gaming industry.

The monetary authority (pictured) – Macau’s de facto central bank – outlined in a statement that “the initial phase of the real-time monitoring system will be implemented on high-risk merchants near casinos, most of which are jewellery and watches merchants.”

It added: “The real time monitoring system will be extended to other high-risk merchants selling high value products in the second phase [sic].”

The announcement stated that, “in view of the comparatively high turnover incurred, China UnionPay card-related transaction[s] will be focused [on] at the initial stage.”

The authority did not mention a date for the launch of the system. It said that it had organised on Friday an explanatory session for relevant parties.

Gaming industry analysts have said UnionPay cards are regularly used by mainland China casino players coming to Macau, in order to circumvent the mainland’s strict currency-export controls. But those analysts have also said that such activity – when done via the city’s pawnshops – had until now effectively been tolerated by the authorities.

Mainland visitors are only allowed to take a daily limit of 20,000 yuan (US$3,109) out of China in cash, but gamblers are said to get around this by purchasing items from one of Macau’s pawnshops or jewellery stores using UnionPay and then returning the goods for a cash refund.

The real time monitoring system “is designed with the aim to verify the genuine relationship between card holder and the bank card in the process of acquiring goods or services in order to protect the lawful rights and interests of cardholders, merchants and banks,” the statement from the Monetary Authority of Macao stated. The body added that the new system would help Macau to comply with international rules and guidelines on tackling illegal cross-border financial activities and money laundering.

The announcement by the Monetary Authority came shortly after media reports stating that UnionPay had issued a memo ordering a clampdown on illegally modified point of sale (POS) units. There have been cases of POS devices registered for use only on the mainland being rigged to conduct transactions in Macau. Such business is recorded in the mainland’s UnionPay network as domestic, thus avoiding higher fees applicable for cross-border payments.

Deutsche Bank’s analysts Carlo Santarelli and Danny Valoy stated in a note on Friday that the monetary authority’s statement “leaves little in the way of ambiguity and, in our view, is likely to read negatively” for Macau’s casino sector.

Mr Santarelli and Mr Valoy added: “We believe [casino] mass market trends, specifically the premium mass segment, which has been soft, will draw considerably more scrutiny in the coming months/quarters as investors look to see an impact/fallout from the presumably changing way of doing business in Macau.”

According to a recent survey from UBS Securities Asia Ltd to 510 mainland Chinese gamblers from Macau’s mass segment, about 20 percent of respondents said they used UnionPay cards to get cash from ATM machines in Macau, but none said they used UnionPay at jewellery shops as a source of funding for gaming.

The survey showed any further restrictions on UnionPay usage were likely to have a negative impact on spending intentions. Close to 70 percent of the respondents stated they believed more restrictions would reduce their gaming spending in Macau in some way.

In September, mainland Chinese media reported that China’s State Administration for Foreign Exchange – also known as SAFE – announced new annual limits on ATMs made outside mainland China using UnionPay-enabled bank cards.

According to the reports, with effect from January 1, 2016, each UnionPay-enabled card will have a new, annual, cash withdrawal limit at overseas ATMs of RMB100,000. Prior to that, with effect from October 1, 2015 until December 31, 2015 there is a RMB50,000-per-card ATM cash withdrawal limit, it was additionally reported.


  • tweet
Related articles
  • Macau ops all likely had negative 2Q EBITDA: JP Morgan
    Macau ops all likely had negative 2Q...

    Jul 04, 2022  

  • Wynn equity partner, op in US$2bln UAE casino: analysts
    Wynn equity partner, op in US$2bln UAE...

    Jan 27, 2022  

More news
  • 2 more hotels at Macau casino resorts for quarantine use
    2 more hotels at Macau casino resorts...

    Jul 07, 2022  

  • Dream Tower June GGR monthly record, 2Q GGR down on 1Q
    Dream Tower June GGR monthly record, 2Q...

    Jul 07, 2022  


Latest News

2 more hotels at Macau casino resorts for quarantine use

2 more hotels at Macau casino resorts for quarantine use

Jul 07, 2022  

Starting from Friday (July 8), two more hotels at major Macau casino resorts will be used for Covid-19 quarantine purposes. It will double the number of large gaming-resort hotels on Cotai that are...
Read More
Dream Tower June GGR monthly record, 2Q GGR down on 1Q

Dream Tower June GGR monthly record, 2Q GGR down on 1Q

Jul 07, 2022  

Everi gaining market share, 70pct rev recurring: brokerage

Everi gaining market share, 70pct rev recurring: brokerage

Jul 07, 2022  

Sign up to our FREE Newsletter

UB8V5.qr.16(Click here for more)

Pick of the Day

”Linda’s leadership throughout the many phases of our development in Macau has been important to our success. She will work with Ian to ensure a smooth transition”

Craig Billings

Chief executive of Wynn Macau Ltd



Most Popular

  • Coughlan to exit as Wynn Macau Ltd president in FebruaryCoughlan to exit as Wynn Macau Ltd president in February July 6, 2022
  • Carruthers leaving Wynn Macau in Sept, named Crown CEOCarruthers leaving Wynn Macau in Sept, named Crown CEO July 7, 2022
  • Macau could launch gaming tender within days: JP MorganMacau could launch gaming tender within days: JP Morgan July 6, 2022
  • Veteran fears for Macau 2H as GGR so far lowest since 2006Veteran fears for Macau 2H as GGR so far lowest since 2006 July 6, 2022
  • 500 in Grand Lisboa lockdown, Macau Covid cases top 1,160500 in Grand Lisboa lockdown, Macau Covid cases top 1,160 July 6, 2022
Copyright 2014-2022 TEAM Publishing and Consultancy Ltd / All rights reserved
  • Code of Ethics
  • Privacy Policy
  • Useful Links
  • Contact Us