The new law against illicit gambling was promulgated yesterday in the government’s official gazette – known as the Boletim Oficial – and has now come into effect.
The law passed its final reading at the Legislative Assembly on 16 October, ten months after it was first tabled.
Under its tough new provisions, sentences of up to eight years in jail can be handed down in cases of illicit gambling such as parallel betting or side betting.
[See more: Macao has ‘no plans’ for online gambling, legislative committee says]
Law enforcement officials will also have broader search powers, including undercover searches, when illicit gambling is suspected, whether inside casinos or at private premises.
People convicted of changing money illegally for the purposes of gambling will also face sentences of up to five years in prison. The law applies to those offering such services not only in a gambling hall but anywhere on the grounds of a casino-resort – known locally as “integrated resorts.”
Following the high-profile cases of jailed junket operators Alvin Chau and Levo Chan, authorities in Macao have made strenuous efforts to tighten oversight of gambling activities.
