The Macao Special Administrative Region Government is advancing the revision of the Advertising Law, proposing a "complete ban on all forms of gambling advertising." The draft has entered the public consultation phase and will be open for 30 days for comments from July 4 to August 2.
According to the Macao Economic and Technological Development Bureau, the current advertising regulations, which have been in place for over 30 years, are no longer able to address the social impacts brought by gambling promotions. This legislative amendment aims to limit the potential inducement effects of gambling advertisements on the public and clearly define the scope and prohibited content of "gambling-related advertising."
The draft indicates that the future ban will not only cover traditional gambling promotions but also include information containing gambling devices, techniques, odds, scenes, and any text or visual content that encourages participation in gambling. Even "benefit activities predicated on participating in gambling" are included in the prohibition.
However, the draft has also raised many questions, such as the undefined boundaries of "associations with gambling," whether even poker patterns, chip photos, and winning images would be considered violations. Industry insiders worry that this will affect the promotional space for hotels, tourism, entertainment, and other ancillary services.
In fact, Macao has previously prohibited casino companies from promoting gambling activities outside entertainment venues. If this amendment passes, it could mean that "gambling content is only allowed within casinos," which would profoundly affect the entire gambling industry's promotional methods.
The draft is still in the public consultation phase, and whether it will ultimately become law remains to be seen. However, it is clear that Macao is sending a strong signal of further tightening the regulation of gambling promotions, facing the entire gambling ecosystem with more uncertainties.
