Inside Asian Gaming

IAG MAR 2022年3月 亞博匯 44 I t has been more than 20 years since Law No. 16/2001 was enacted as a legal framework for the Macau gaming industry. With the gaming concessions (and sub-concessions) set to expire in June 2022, the Macau government has been beefing up its gaming regulation and enforcement over the past years, and the latest amendments to the city’s gaming law are currently being considered by the Legislative Assembly. Among other changes, third- party promoted casinos will be outlawed under the new gaming law. This draft provision may also affect some self-managed casinos not wholly owned by the incumbent gaming operators. EVOLUTION OF THE SATELLITE CASINO SYSTEM Third-party promoted casinos, commonly known as “satellite casinos”, are gaming establishments technically administered by authorized operators but owned and managed by independent investors. Nevertheless, the proposed amendments provide that casino gaming must be operated in the properties owned by concessionaires (i.e. authorized gaming operators). The new gaming law will probably have a negative effect on the long-established satellite properties scattered around the city. While this type of casino partnership can trace COLUMNISTS Golden Dragon, one of Macau’s most established satellite casinos. 金龍娛樂場是澳門最老牌的衛星賭場之一。