Macau’s draft “Law to Combat Gambling Crimes”, outlined in December, is to undergo a first reading at the city’s Legislative Assembly (AL) on February 28, according to the latest meeting schedule for the assembly (pictured).
The bill is an update to Macau’s existing Illegal Gambling Regime, known as Law No.8/96/M, which was formulated and approved nearly three decades ago.
A key component of the local government’s legal proposal is to increase maximum jail sentences and the permitted duration of what is termed as “preventive detention” in relation to gambling crimes, including the practice of under-the-table betting via the “multiplier”.
In the bill, the government has proposed the banning of any “operation, promotion and organising” of “online games of fortune and mutual betting”, regardless of whether the computing systems for supporting such gambling activities are hosted in Macau.