Gambling News Across Asia
News on laws, licenses, venues, lotteries, racing and enforcement in 12 countries, with every story citing its sources.
Regulation 7 deleted with effect from 1 March 2022
Singapore deleted regulation 7 of the Casino Control (Casino Tax) Regulations 2010 with effect from 1 March 2022 and introduced an interest rate rule in regulation 7A.
Seven Macau satellite casinos plan to close by mid-2022
Seven satellite casinos in Macau's NAPE and Taipa districts, four of them run by the Golden Dragon Group, are set to close by mid-2022, according to gaming operators cited in press reports.
New tiered casino tax rates take effect for Singapore IRs
Singapore's two integrated resorts began paying higher casino taxes from March 2022 under a tiered structure that raises rates on both premium and mass gaming revenue.
Two-casino cap period set to 31 December 2030
Singapore's Casino Control Act now requires the Gambling Regulatory Authority to keep no more than two casino licenses in force at any time until 31 December 2030.
Senate President says Duterte agreed to suspend e-sabong
Senate President Vicente Sotto III said on February 28, 2022 that President Rodrigo Duterte had agreed to suspend e-sabong, but the palace said the next day it had no word on any such decision.
Three localities propose new casino projects and Vietnamese gambling pilot
Three Vietnamese localities proposed new casino projects while the Ministry of Finance sought to extend the pilot letting Vietnamese citizens gamble, from three years to five, until 2024.
Galaxy Entertainment Group terminates all VIP junket agreements
Galaxy Entertainment Group has terminated all of its VIP junket agreements, Vice Chairman Francis Lui said on February 23, 2022, as Macau's gaming law overhaul moves through the legislature.
Korea posts Notice No. 2022-7 on blocking programs for obscene materials and speculative games
South Korea's culture ministry posted Notice No. 2022-7 on programs that block obscene material and speculative game items, effective 28 March 2022.
Cambodia blocks 15 illegal lottery websites
Cambodia's telecommunications regulator blocked 15 new internet sites, most of them originating from Vietnam and including the Vietnamese lottery site Vina24h, under a 2019 government guideline on online gambling.
China's police chief urges further crackdown on cross-border gambling
China's public security minister Zhao Kezhi called on Feb 15 for continued high-pressure enforcement against cross-border gambling and for the removal of foreign gambling groups' networks inside China.
First Reading of GRA Bill and GC Bill in Singapore Parliament
Singapore introduced two draft gambling laws for First Reading on 14 February 2022, creating a single regulator and consolidating offenses, licensing and social safeguards into one technology-neutral framework.
Karnataka High Court strikes down ban on online games with stakes
The Karnataka High Court has struck down provisions of a 2021 state law that banned online games played for stakes, ruling them unconstitutional and barring the state from interfering with online gaming businesses.
Decree No. 121/2021/NĐ-CP takes effect
Vietnam's Decree No. 121/2021/ND-CP, governing prize electronic games for foreigners, took effect on February 12, 2022, replacing three earlier decrees and tightening rules on who may play and where.
President assents to Gambling Duties Act 2022
Singapore's President Halimah Yacob assented on 8 February 2022 to the Gambling Duties Act 2022, which consolidates duties on lawful betting and lotteries and amends casino tax and license rules.
Pagcor issues first online traditional bingo license to LRWC
The Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corp. has granted Leisure and Resorts World Corp. the country's first online traditional bingo license, letting the firm run bingo on onsite and offsite platforms.
Dara Sakor casino becomes fully operational
The casino at the Dara Sakor resort in Cambodia, operated by Century Entertainment, has been fully operational since February 2022, according to a market report.
GAB and police crack down on illegal bookies in Metro Manila
The Philippine Racing Commission has thanked the Games and Amusements Board and the police for their continuing campaign against illegal bookmakers still operating in Metro Manila.
Karnataka HC strikes down online gaming ban
The Karnataka High Court struck down a state law banning online gaming, and later quashed a police case against the founders of fantasy sports platform Dream11.
Macau Court of Final Appeal rules concessionaires jointly liable for junket debts
Macau's Court of Final Appeal ruled in nine cases completed between January and February 2022 that gaming concessionaires bear joint and several liability for debts their junket operators owe to third parties.
Ministry of Finance proposes extending Vietnamese-player pilot until 2024
Vietnam's Ministry of Finance has proposed extending the pilot scheme that lets Vietnamese citizens gamble in selected domestic casinos until 2024, after the pandemic disrupted the original 2019 to 2022 trial.
Three localities propose opening casinos
Khanh Hoa, Da Nang and Binh Thuan have proposed new casino projects and a pilot letting Vietnamese people play, as the Finance Ministry weighs which sites to back.
Tiered casino tax structure to take effect from February 2022
Singapore replaced its flat casino tax with a tiered structure from February 2022, taxing premium gaming at 8 to 12 percent and mass gaming at 18 to 22 percent.
Two more suspects arrested in Zhou Zhuohua case
Macau's Judiciary Police arrested two more Macau residents in the Zhou Zhuohua case, and Macau Legend Development confirmed its chief executive Chan Wing-yan was among those arrested.
TRC blocks 123 illegal online gambling websites
Cambodia's Telecommunication Regulator and the National Police blocked 123 websites offering illegal online gambling and lottery, following an earlier block of 79 such sites in November 2021.
Lim Kok Thay resigns from Genting Hong Kong
Lim Kok Thay resigned as chairman, chief executive officer and executive director of Genting Hong Kong effective Jan 21, days after the cruise operator filed a petition in Bermuda to wind up the company.
Gaming law draft bill fully revealed at Executive Council press conference
Macau's Executive Council fully revealed a draft gaming law bill on January 18, 2022, capping concessions at six and setting new rules for junkets and satellite casinos.
Levy for gambling addiction prevention and treatment given legal basis in amended Act
South Korea's National Gambling Control Commission Act was amended on January 18, 2022, giving a legal basis to the levy that funds gambling addiction prevention and treatment.
Macau Executive Council completes discussion of draft gaming law amendment
Macau's Executive Council finished discussing a draft amendment to the gaming law that caps concessions at six, bans sub-concessions, sets a 10-year term and raises capital to MOP 5 billion.
Genting Hong Kong shares plunge more than 50% after default warning
Genting Hong Kong shares fell more than 50 percent on January 13, 2022, after the cruise operator warned it may be unable to meet its financial obligations.
Prime Minister's Order No. 8/2565 appoints committee on above-price lottery sales
Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha signed Order No. 8/2565 on 12 January 2022, creating a committee and three subcommittees to tackle sales of Thai government lottery tickets above the set price.