The Macau government is to criminalise the unlicensed changing of money within a casino setting for the purposes of gambling, including such exchange activity in non-gaming areas of such premises. There will be a penalty of up to five years’ imprisonment for those found guilty.
The provision has been added to the latest draft of the ‘Law to Combat Gambling Crimes’. Previously, the city’s authorities had indicated they were not minded to add such a step to the bill.
The information on the change of mind was given on Friday at the city’s Legislative Assembly by Chan Chak Mo (pictured, right), a veteran legislator who heads a committee tasked with scrutinising the bill. He was relaying information passed to the committee, by the city’s government.
He was speaking to the media following a closed-doors meeting of the committee.
Mr Chan mentioned that those found guilty of such an offence could also face a Macau casino entry ban of “two to 10 years” in length.
The proposed amendment does not provide for any penalties for those that use the services of an unauthorised money exchanger.
Mr Chan said the amended bill was likely to receive its second and final reading at a plenary session of the assembly in the next legislative term, i.e., before the end of the calendar year, though he noted no specific date had yet been set.
The legislator told Friday’s media briefing that the city’s government had not clarified its reasons for going down the criminalisation path regarding illicit exchange of money in and around casino properties.
Though he referred to recent reports about other crimes allegedly linked to unauthorised money changing, and their possible impact on what he described as the “orderly” pursuit of casino business.
The city’s Secretary for Security, Wong Sio Chak, has mentioned the money tout trade’s alleged links with frauds, money laundering and sometimes physical violence.
Mr Chan said on Friday that the members of his committee were “supportive” of the government’s proposed crackdown measure.
On July 5, China’s Ministry of Public Security held a press meeting to address Macau’s illicit money exchange trade, with officials emphasising the need for tough enforcement.
Many of the money touts – and many of the people said to seek their services – are described by the city’s police as being visitors from the Chinese mainland.
(Updated 9.30pm, Aug 9)
