The gaming floor is one of the biggest and best designed in the city, where you can expect to stand elbow to elbow with high rollers. Michelin-starred restaurants, luxury hotels and the best house show in town are just some of the reasons that the City of Dreams is considered one of the most exclusive casinos in Macao. Macau gambling king Stanley Ho, who built a business empire from scratch in the former Portuguese colony and became one of Asia's richest men, died peacefully at the age of 98, his family.
Last Updated: November 6, 2014 – Macau is now the richest casino destination in the world. In 2013, their 35 casinos (with 8 more casinos on its way) generated USD $45 billion (HKD $348.9 billion) in gross gambling wins. This is more than every casino in the entire United States combined. It is because they are the only jurisdiction of Chinese sovereignty with legal casino gambling that we achieved such success. In 2012, they had 25,055,704 visitors from Chinese jurisdictions (Mainland China, Hong Kong and Taiwan) which accounted for 89.22% of our overall visits.
While this article is placed in our section: Gambling Laws by Country it would be difficult to understand Macau without also understanding our unique history and culture. For that reason, this article covers our laws in brief, a detailed historical account of Macau gambling during our 442 years as a Portuguese administration and concludes by touching on the conversion to Macau SAR of China which began 20 December 1999.
Macau Gambling Laws
- Macau makes the majority of its economy through casino revenue, and nearly 600,000 locals are also mostly staying at home. But the show must go on at these enormous casinos.
- Minimum Age to Gamble in United States of America. Below you will find the minimum legal age to gamble in various locations around the U.S., Virgin Islands and Puerto Rico. In the 50 American states, some times you'll see a variance, this usually is due to Indian casinos having different age requirements in their casinos than state regulated.
The gambling laws of Macau are rather complex but only for those in the gambling business. In short, as a player – all you really need to know is locals must be age 21 to gamble in casinos, age 18 for other forms of gambling, and cheating is a serious crime. Other than that, not much is illegal here as a player.
We have casino, horse race betting, greyhounds, sports betting, lottery and poker rooms and even prostitution is allowed. Another interesting fact is in 2011 the government acknowledged Macau has no online gambling laws. It is in no way illegal to use websites such as www.bet365.com from your Macau residence or hotel room to play online poker, casino games, bet sports or races.
As China Gambling Law, Hong Kong Gambling Law, and Taiwan Gambling Law prohibit most forms of online gambling this is good information to know. If you live in one of these places, you can open a Bet365 account at home and during your trips to Macau you can do online gambling 100% legally.
Getting back on the topic, Wikipedia Entry: Macau Gambling Law explains that our gaming law is not a branch of law but rather a large collection of legal topics related to gambling that include constitutional law, administrative law, tax law, company law, contract law and criminal law. Most of what we have is gaming regulations such as: what games casinos can offer, their guidelines, tax rates, licensing, and complaint resolution. Our criminal law covers cheating, money laundering, and running non-licensed gambling houses. Our civil laws deals with contracts and it does state gambling debt is enforceable.
This is a huge topic that Macau University offers a Bachelor’s degree course on. If you have a sincere interest their course overview contains a list of laws you can research. Many laws are also referenced in this 13 Page Macau Casino Law Report. The actual laws themselves can be found by market segment on this page of DIJC’s website. DICJ is Direcção de Inspecção e Coordenação de Jogos which is Portuguese for Gaming Inspection and Coordination Bureau. They are our industry’s regulator and the laws are only available in Chinese and Portuguese. After reading the rest of this article you might better understand why.
Macau Culture and History
An important thing to understand is nowhere else did two vastly different cultures co-mingle longer than in Macau.
In the photos shown, the one on the bottom right is Sanedo Square. This is a 2km walk from major casinos Grand Lisboa (shown in the background of the photo top left) and Wynn Macau. Along the way you’ll find both low-end and high-end shopping and food ranging from noodle vendors to Asian street food and western fast food to both Portuguese and Chinese fine dining.
Sanedo Square is one of many UNESCO World Heritage Sites of Macau. If you didn’t know otherwise (and other than the fact most everyone is Chinese) standing here – you could easily convince yourself that you were in Europe. If you walk upwards you will find the amazing ruins of St. Paul also shown in the photos and a historic museum. Between all this are Asian shops selling beef jerky, street food vendors and all sorts of things that are clearly Chinese.
This all explained by the fact Macau was the oldest and last European colony in Asia. Settlers came here as early as 1513, and beginning in 1557 this was a trade-port city leased by the Chinese empire to Portugal. In 1887 we became a Portuguese colony. During this era we operated similar to being our own country and in 1906 began printing the Macanese Pataca (MOP) which is still the currency used today.
On 20 December 1999 Macau sovereignty was transferred to China. Today we are a special administrative region (SAR) of China with our own passports, currency, government, laws and courts. While considered “technically” the same country, residents of Mainland China need a visa to visit Macau – something not required for visitors from Hong Kong or Taiwan.
The facts we border Mainland China’s most populated province Guangdong (广东省), are accessible by the South China Sea, and are a short boat ferry ride from Hong Kong, and have legal gambling, prostitution, and many attractions – then and still today – has Macau as the hottest spot to visit in the region.
1 Next:The History of Legal Gambling in Macau 3
Introduction
A novel coronavirus “COVID-19” has caused the global pandemic of coronavirus diseases across China and worldwide since December 2019. This article aims to discuss the impact of COVID-19 on the Macau gaming industry, together with the government interventions and restricted casino operations.1 Macau has been relatively successful in containing the widespread community transmission by striking a careful balance between public health and economic needs. As of the end of August, the total number of coronavirus cases identified in the city is 46. All COVID-19 patients have recovered, and no death cases have been reported at the time of writing. With no immediate end to the current pandemic in sight, Macau casinos' operational adjustments could provide insight into the ongoing business activity under COVID-19, and that might also augur the future of gaming in other Asian jurisdictions.
Measures Against the Imminent COVID-19 Threat
Macau has been on high alert since the onset of the coronavirus outbreak in China. With the experience of the severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) epidemic in 2003, the Macau government and the broader community have taken preemptive measures to ensure public health safety in light of the imminent threat of COVID-19. Beginning in early January, most casinos and hotels have heightened their entry measures. Patrons with body temperature over 37.5°C (99.5°F) have been denied their access to the properties, and they would be asked if they had been to the Chinese province of Hubei (where COVID-19 was first discovered) in the past 14 days. Individuals with such travel history would be notified immediately to the local health authorities and sent directly to the hospital for a thorough check-up. It should be noted that Macau casinos generally keep a reserve of infrared thermometers and other necessary protective equipment for emergencies, even before the pandemic emerged.
The Macau government has introduced precautionary measures for tourists visiting Macau since early January 2020. As the first coronavirus case was confirmed in Macau on January 22, the city's Health Bureau promptly mandated that all gaming employees wear a protective face mask at work. In effect from 11:00 p.m. on February 1, the Gaming Inspection and Coordination Bureau (DICJ) requires that all patrons wear face masks at all times in casinos. Residents from Hubei province of China or individuals with recent Hubei travel history had once been barred from casinos, and they would be directed to the Judiciary Police stationed at casinos for follow-ups.2 A total of 405 casino entrances and 47 staff entrances across Macau casinos were also equipped with the body temperature measuring devices in early February. As a legally declared permanent zone for gaming,3 Macau further made a move to close all its 39 casinos.4 A city-wide suspension of casinos and entertainment facilities was imposed by the Macau government under Executive Order 27/2020,5 which suspended casino operations from February 5 through 19, for 15 days. This decisive action to close casinos aimed at preventing the spread of the coronavirus in the community at the time.
Casino Reopening and Preventive Measures
The temporary closure of Macau casinos was lifted on February 20 under Executive Order 39/2020.6 An extension period of 30 days was allowed for the reopening of casinos, and 29 casinos resumed their operations after the 15-day suspension.7 After the reopening, casinos have been instructed to follow the most recent executive orders, together with the safety precautions and technical guidelines issued by the Health Bureau and DICJ.8 Before proceeding to the preventive measures against COVID-19, it should be noted that Macau casinos were not fully operational during the early phase of reopening. It has been a gradual process of resuming the gaming areas (pits) upon meeting the public health criteria on a pit-by-pit basis. Furthermore, the post-closure casinos have operated at reduced capacity, with new arrangements of gaming tables and machines to ensure adequate distance among staff and patrons.
The COVID-19 prevention and control measures imposed before the closure have remained in place after the reopening. These precautions include the temperature checks on gaming staff and patrons entering the casinos, and face masks must be worn at all times in casinos. All individuals are also required to present the “Green Code” by completing the up-to-date health declaration through “Macau Health Code,” an electronic mobile application used to prove one's health eligibility.9 The following are the most recent anti-COVID-19 requirements and social distancing rules, which aim at reducing group gatherings around the densely packed gaming tables and machines in casinos.
Casinos are required to reduce capacity by 50% to avoid overcrowding, i.e., the number of employees and patrons should be maintained at 50%, or below, of the original capacity.
Individuals must always maintain an appropriate social distance. Specifically, table dealers and patrons remain spaced at least one meter apart while seated or standing. A maximum of three or four players can be seated per gaming table with one seat empty between patrons,10 and no onlookers are allowed. The “middle seat empty” policy also applies to the gaming machines.
Starting from July 15, patrons entering casinos have to present valid proof of a negative COVID-19 nucleic acid test result, in addition to the aforementioned body temperature check and “Green Code” upon entry.
All casino frontline staff (over 53,000 workers) are required to undergo a COVID-19 test. This requirement applies to any employees working in gaming operations, cage, security, and VIP gaming rooms (junkets), and no positive test results have been reported at the time of writing.
All promotional activities that attract gaming patrons must be suspended. The consumption of food and beverage at gaming tables is also prohibited.
There are technical guidelines on air conditioning, fresh air ventilation, and environment disinfection for casinos and hotel resorts. Deep cleaning and disinfection for all gaming facilities and equipment are required with increased frequency.
The circuit breaker mechanism has been adopted to reduce the risk of coronavirus spreading, i.e., one confirmed COVID-19 case could lead to another potential closure of casino(s).
Macau Casinos' Response to COVID-19
The coronavirus pandemic has made a profound impact on the Macau gaming industry. Macau welcomed 2.85 million visitors in January; however, the Chinese government has, since late January, suspended the issuance of visas for individual and group tours to the gaming enclave.11 Together with the city's border control and quarantine measures for inbound travelers, around 3.27 million visitors arrived in Macau in the first half of 2020, a year-on-year decrease of 83.9%.12 Meanwhile, Macau has recorded the steepest decline in casino receipts in recent decades. The gross gaming revenue for the first six months of the year is down 77.4% compared to 2019, and most of the revenue was generated in January (Table 1). Against this dire backdrop, Macau casinos continued paying their employees through the aforementioned closure in February along with the necessary operational adjustments.
| 2019 | 2020 | % change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| JAN | 24,942 | 22,126 | -11.3% |
| FEB | 25,370 | 3,104 | -87.8% |
| MAR | 25,840 | 5,257 | -79.7% |
| APR | 23,588 | 754 | -96.8% |
| MAY | 25,952 | 1,764 | -93.2% |
| JUN | 23,812 | 716 | -97.0% |
| JUL | 24,453 | 1,344 | -94.5% |
| AUG | 24,262 | 1,330 | -94.5% |
Source: Data are from the Macau Gaming Inspection and Coordination Bureau (DICJ). Unit: MOP million. The exchange rate is approximately 8 Macau patacas (MOP) per U.S. dollar.
The pandemic and widespread lockdowns have weakened the demand for gaming in Macau. Specifically, mandatory control measures such as cross-border travel restrictions, compulsory quarantine for inbound travelers, and business closures have adversely affected Macau and its casinos, which are highly reliant on Chinese visitors and their frequent patronage. In addition, the operational capacity for Macau casinos has been halved to meet the social distancing guidelines. Despite these severe constraints, Macau casinos have been closely co-operating with the anti-coronavirus measures mandated by the government. A number of operational and strategic actions have also been implemented in response to the COVID-19 impact and business disruption.
Navigating the COVID-19 impact
A range of cost-saving initiatives has been implemented across Macau casinos. Among other things, flexible work arrangements were introduced after the 15-day shutdown. Casino employees have been encouraged to take annual leave and/or unpaid voluntary leave, and casino operators have provided their employees with a variety of special leave options. Such options as “Care Leave” allow gaming employees to take one day voluntary time off (VTO) with the entitlement to one day of additional paid leave (“1+1 leave”). Some casinos even offer frontline staff with “Reward Leave” for applying for a prolonged period of time away from work. The overriding objective of these VTO options seeks to retain talent while saving operational costs and avoiding massive lay-offs. Given the unprecedented COVID-19 situation, these work arrangements have been generally accepted by most employees,13 and some casinos have already extended their VTO options into the first half of 2021.
Macau Casino Gambling Age Requirements
Macau casino operators have also taken a wide variety of strategic actions to prepare for operations beyond the pandemic. In particular, significant resources have been committed to talent and technology development. Various on-the-job training programs have been organized by most casinos to improve their employees' functional and leadership skills. Leveraging the current business downtime, most casinos have been refurbishing and continuously upgrading their casino floors with the latest gaming technology, including RFID-enabled gaming tables, artificial intelligence (AI)–powered camera systems, table performance and management systems,>
Macau Casino Gambling Age Limit
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