Inside Asian Gaming

IAG FEB 2022年2月 亞博匯 64 COLUMNISTS T he release of the Macau government’s draft bill on changes to be incorporated into its general gaming law has allayed many of the concerns expressed by industry stakeholders during the consultation period. Based on details published in mid-January, the revised gaming regulatory framework is both supportive and relatively benign, at least for the incumbent concessionaires. Less so for junket promoters and satellite casino operators, for whom the future looks decidedly bleak. What commentary on the proposed new law seems to have missed is what will not be legislated, barring any to- date unannounced measures. Sports betting has enjoyed remarkable growth in the US since the advent of the COVID-19 pandemic. In New Jersey, sports betting represented more than 17% of its casinos’ gross gaming revenue in 2021. In Nevada, for the year ended November 2021, sports betting revenue rose a staggering 84% from the prior year and represented 11.5% of gaming revenue from table counter and card games. More than 40% of the sports betting revenue derived from wagering using personal devices, such as phones and computers. Sports betting has not been permitted in Macau’s casinos, principally because it has been classified as a "game of chance offered to the public.” Under current law, gamesareclassified as either “games of chance” – traditional casino game such