Inside Asian Gaming

IAG JUN 2022年6月 亞博匯 10 REPRIEVE FOR MACAU SATELLITE CASINOS 衛星場三年 過渡期後可以繼續經營 THEPRESIDENTOFTHESECONDSTANDINGCOMMITTEE OF THE MACAU LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY (AL) , Andrew Chan Chak Mo, has revealed that a bill currently before the AL to amend the Macau gaming law has been changed – now allowing existing satellite casinos to continue to operate in premises not owned by a Macau casino gaming concessionaire, even beyond the already-agreed three- year grace period. However, once the grace period lapses, satellite operators will no longer be allowed to participate in revenue share arrangements with concessionaires. There is still some confusion over whether revenue share arrangements will be permitted during the three-year grace period. While a strict interpretation of the latest publicly available version of the bill would suggest otherwise, Chan told IAG , “that is a matter to be determined by the terms of the contract between the concessionaire and the management company [satellite operator]”. It may well be that the new version of the bill differs from the most-current publicly available version of the bill, and allows revenue sharing between concessionaires and satellite operators during the three- year grace period. The new bill, still being discussed by the Second Standing Committee of the Macau Legislative Assembly, is not yet publicly available. IAG believes the bill should be available by 10 June at the latest. Article 5.3, one of the more controversial parts of the new Macau Gaming Law currently under consideration by the AL, had stated, “A concessionaire must operate games of chance in casinos in a location where it holds ownership of the real estate." This new provision had been widely interpreted as a satellite-killer, although the three-year grace period was also written into the bill as a transitional arrangement for existing satellites — assuming their partner concessionaire is awarded a new concession in the upcoming tender process, widely expected to take place in Q3 this year. 澳門立法會 第二常設委員會5月13日討論《修改第16/2001號法律 〈娛樂場幸運博彩經營法律制度〉》，政府代表到場，包括經濟 財政司司長及博監局局長。會議上，政府向立法會提交政府修改 後的文本，當中提及衛星場在三年後可以繼續經營，但一定不能 有「殺數」。 根據原有的《修改第16/2001號法律〈娛樂場幸運博彩經營 法律制度〉》第5條規定，娛樂場只能設在承批公司不動產內， 並設有三年過渡期。有關條款規定，三年後衛星場要將有關娛樂 場的不動產賣給承批公司，或者直接關閉，坊間認為抹殺「衛星 場」的存在。但會議中，政府向立法會提交新的修改文本，當中 將有關規定作出了新修改。 委員會主席陳澤武會後向記者解釋，新條款下現時經營的 「衛星場」可繼續經營，即使三年後有關娛樂場所亦不需要一定 是屬於承批公司，但三年後必需根據新法例去進行活動。這意味 着，現時經營的「衛星場」三年後將可繼續經營，而有關場所亦 不需要轉賣給承批公司。 然而有所不同的是，三年過渡期規定結束後，將必需根據新 的「博彩法」去經營有關場所，即「衛星場」將會為管理公司， 而管理公司在未來法律是一定不能分享「殺數」，只能收取管理 費。 另外，陳澤武提到《修改第16/2001號法律〈娛樂場幸運博 彩經營法律制度〉》將在6月10日前完成小組審議，並呈上立法 會大會作最終審議。