Macao’s Legislative Assembly approved various bills yesterday, including a revision of the 2025 budget, which reduces a number of the government’s original forecasts.
According to multiple media outlets, the new budget slashes the government’s direct gaming tax revenue by 5 percent, from 84 billion patacas (US$10.39 billion) to 79.8 billion patacas (US$9.87 billion).
Meanwhile, the gross gaming revenue (GGR) forecast for 2025 has been cut from 240 billion patacas (US$29.6 billion) to 228 billion patacas (US$27.36 billion), resulting in the monthly average gaming haul dipping from 20 billion patacas (US$2.4 billion) to 19 billion patacas (US$2.3 billion).
Overall, the government’s revenue has been lowered from 121 billion patacas (US$15 billion) to 116 billion patacas (US$14.4 billion), with the budget surplus being downgraded from 7.7 billion patacas (US$956 million) to 290 million patacas (US$35.99 million).
The updated 2025 budget was announced last month and was made in response to the lower-than-expected revenue reaped by the local casino sector, which remains Macao’s leading economic driver.
In addition to the budget, a revised law concerning lawmakers’ conduct was also passed. Initiated by nine legislators, it introduces a number of new rules, one of which requires lawmakers to not only take part in a swearing-in ceremony, but to also sign a written declaration of loyalty.
The legislation also sets a new regulation that prohibits legislators from donning clothing or carrying banners, flags, slogans and other items that are offensive, politically provocative or seen as damaging to the dignity of the Legislative Assembly. The move stems from a 2019 incident when then lawmaker, the pro-democratic Sulu Sou, wore a t-shirt printed with a politically sensitive slogan.
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The law also enshrines a new rule that prevents legislators involved in closed-door committee meetings from disclosing the contents of the session. The rule, which is intended to safeguard the confidentiality of such meetings, only permits the committee president and secretary to reveal details.
According to various media outlets, lawmakers Ron Lam and José Pereira Coutinho were critical of the law, citing concerns over transparency and accountability.
“Frankly, this provision is both impractical to enforce and poorly defined,” Lam said. “I’ve always believed that we must push for full transparency in the Legislative Assembly, including opening committee meetings to the public.”
In response, Legislative Assembly president, Kou Hoi In, who helped to push the revisions into motion, said that the new closed-door committee rule prevents public controversy by ensuring that sensitive information is not being unveiled prematurely.
“When issues are appropriate for public disclosure, we’ll follow standard public procedures,” Kou said. “The committees will establish their own protocols.”
The approved bill also seeks to refine the system regulating legislators’ eligibility to continue serving, with immediate termination of duty for lawmakers who are engaged in criminal proceedings.
