Law to Combat Illegal Gambling Crimes takes effect in Macau

Macau's Law to Combat Illegal Gambling Crimes came into force on 29 October 2024, the city's gambling regulator, the Gaming Inspection and Coordination Bureau (DICJ), said in its published summary of complaints and suggestions received in 2024¹.

The DICJ said it held briefing sessions on the law before it took effect, to strengthen inspectors' understanding of the legislation and its practical enforcement¹. It also began publicity work at different levels in response to the law, including preparing radio advertising, and joined the Judiciary Police in distributing leaflets in several Macau communities reminding residents and visitors not to take part in street gambling, not to play mahjong in illegally operated mahjong venues, and to watch out for fake gambling websites¹.

The same page sets out how the DICJ handled complaints during 2024. It received 418 suggestions, complaints and objections in total: 8 complaints under "service process" and, under "regulatory functions," 24 suggestions and 386 complaints¹. Of the complaints and objections received, there were 394 complaints and 0 objections; 347 complaints were completed and filed within the 45-day target, while 47 were not completed on schedule¹. The DICJ attributed the delays to licensed operators failing to submit case reports and information on time, incomplete submissions that required follow-up, and the complexity of cases, noting that about 80 percent fell into categories such as casino games, gaming equipment and staff errors¹.

On illegal and online gambling complaints, the DICJ said it referred cases to the relevant departments and carried out publicity at different levels tied to the law's entry into force¹. On complaints about lotteries and prize draws, it said it conducts site inspections or other follow-up investigations, gives guidance on applying for administrative permission to people or entities suspected of running draws without a license, and imposes fines where a draw is confirmed to have been held without proper administrative permission¹. It also said it produced two new video shorts with the Legal Affairs Bureau in 2024 to raise public awareness of the legal requirements for holding prize draws¹.

The DICJ said it also worked on casino security and "money exchange gangs," requiring operators to strengthen security staffing and surveillance equipment and to draw up emergency response mechanisms, and holding regular meetings with operators' security departments¹. It said it holds regular exchanges with the Judiciary Police to discuss improving enforcement procedures and cross-departmental cooperation against illegal currency exchange in casinos¹. Separately, it said it received 1 letter of commendation between January and December 2024, praising the professionalism and courtesy of its complaint-handling staff¹.

What it means for players

The law's entry into force gives Macau authorities a specific legal basis for action against illegal gambling, and the DICJ's own account shows enforcement attention directed at street gambling, unlicensed mahjong venues, fake gambling websites and illegal currency exchange inside casinos¹. For visitors and residents, that means activity outside licensed casino floors, and the informal currency exchange that operates around them, sits in the area regulators and police have said they are targeting¹. The DICJ's complaint figures also show where licensed-floor disputes arise: most complaints it received concerned casino games, gaming equipment and staff errors¹. How the law is applied in individual cases, and what penalties it carries, are not set out in the published summary¹.

What happens next

The DICJ said it would tighten monitoring of how promptly licensed operators submit information and reports, and review and improve its own case-handling process to speed up progress on complaints¹. It said operators have committed to strengthening staff training on reception and complaint handling and to improving management and reporting procedures¹. No further dated steps are given in the published summary¹.