The SAR government has proposed a blanket ban on gambling-related ads as part of a comprehensive overhaul of Macao’s decades-old advertising laws, multiple media outlets are reporting.
A 30-day public consultation period on the proposal is now underway, ending 2 August. If accepted in its current form, the revised Advertising Activities Law would prohibit advertisements that directly or indirectly promote gambling of any kind, including through displaying scenes that could evoke associations with gambling activities.
The text does not explicitly describe what such scenes may look like.
[See more: Where will low-stakes gamblers go when Macao’s satellite casinos close?]
Director of the Economic and Technological Development Bureau (known by its Portuguese initials, DSEDT) Yau Yun Wah, told the press that Macao’s 30-year-old advertising laws were outdated, and no longer fit with today’s media landscape or technological realities.
“The nature of advertising, including its content, format, and dissemination channels, has changed significantly,” he said. “This consultation aims to gather public and industry views to ensure the law is both relevant and enforceable.”
Existing legislation already bans advertising games of chance and restricts gaming concessionaires to promoting gambling only within designated casino areas.
[See more: Problem gambling hits a new high in 2024]
The proposed overhaul would also remove advertisers’ need to get their ads pre-approved by the government. In the event of a violation, however, the law would enable authorities to take immediate action by obscuring offending advertisements and issuing penalties.
The DSEDT will hold five consultation sessions with regards to the amendments, three for industry stakeholders and two that are open to the public. It aims to submit a bill to the Legislative Assembly by the end of 2025.
Problem gambling in Macao increased significantly last year, with data from the Social Welfare Bureau showing a 23 percent rise in addicts compared with 2023. The proportion of local gambling addicts dropped by around 5.7 percent, however, to 59 percent of the 208 total.
