Sep 05, 2016 Newsdesk Latest News, Macau, Top of the deck  
A total of 394 people has been fined in Macau in the first eight months of 2016 for smoking in unauthorised areas inside the city’s casinos, according to government statistics. That is an increase of 32.2 percent from the prior-year period, when a total of 298 people had been fined, show official data.
Information from Macau’s Health Bureau records a total of 326 site inspections inside casinos between January and end-August: up from 301 inspections in the first eight months of 2015.
The majority of those fined in the January to August 2016 period – i.e., 78.2 percent – were tourists, according to a Friday press release from the Health Bureau.
The Macau government banned in October 2014 smoking on casino mass floors. An exception was made for tobacco use in enclosed smoking lounges – facilities without gaming – located on some casino mass-market floors in the city. Having a cigarette while gambling is at present still allowed in VIP rooms.
The government is now pushing for a full smoking ban inside casinos as part of a scheduled revision of the city’s tobacco control law. But the majority on the Macau Legislative Assembly working committee asked to scrutinise the revised tobacco control bill currently supports the retention of smoking lounges on casinos. The working committee is currently on its summer break: it will only continue reviewing the bill after October 15 at the earliest, once the Legislative Assembly’s two-month recess ends.
Macau’s Secretary for Social Affairs and Culture, Alexis Tam Chon Weng, said in late May that government officials were available to discuss the issue of whether smoking lounges might be retained inside casinos.
Nov 03, 2022
Oct 28, 2022
Jun 01, 2023
Jun 01, 2023
Jun 01, 2023
Casino equipment maker Sega Sammy Creation Inc is tweaking its market approach in the land-based segment, in terms of manufacturing and sales, says Naoki Kameda (pictured, left), the firm’s...Jun 01, 2023
Casino equipment maker Sega Sammy Creation Inc is tweaking...Jun 01, 2023
The iGaming segment in Asia “has grown rapidly” since...May 31, 2023
Showing slot machine players – via animations on the...May 31, 2023
Macau stocks in likelihood “have been punished too much...May 31, 2023
There are foreign companies still interested in investing...May 31, 2023
Thailand could pass the necessary enabling legislation for...May 30, 2023
China will remain a key market for Asian gaming...May 30, 2023
Alejandro Tengco (pictured in a file photo), chairman and...May 30, 2023
There are “plenty of reasons” for the global gaming...May 30, 2023
Gaming equipment provider International Game Technology Plc...May 30, 2023
The Global Gaming Expo (G2E) Asia 2023 Special Edition:...May 29, 2023
Austria-based gaming equipment maker and operator Novomatic...May 25, 2023
Sports betting and online casino operating platform...May 24, 2023
The business performance in Asia of gaming content and...May 18, 2023
The organisers of Global Gaming Expo (G2E) Asia 2023...May 17, 2023
Gaming content and equipment supplier Light & Wonder...May 16, 2023
Casino equipment maker Sega Sammy Creation Inc is to...May 09, 2023
Casino slot machine and digital gaming content provider...May 05, 2023
The Global Gaming Expo (G2E) Asia event in Singapore is the...May 04, 2023
An adviser to a Thailand parliamentary committee mulling...(Click here for more)
”We’re interested [in entering Thailand], we’re looking… but it’s early days”
Robert Goldstein
Chairman and chief executive of casino operator Las Vegas Sands