The Macau government has proposed a comprehensive amendment to its decades-old advertising law, suggesting an explicit ban on all forms of gambling-related advertisements.
The move, which aims to address evolving market dynamics and the influence of gambling promotion on society, was announced on July 4th by authorities alongside the launch of a 30-day public consultation period that will run until August 2nd.
According to the consultation document, the revised law would prohibit advertisements that directly or indirectly promote any type of gambling activity. This includes depictions of gambling equipment, tools, or scenarios; the display of betting techniques or odds; the encouragement of participation in gambling; and campaigns that tie rewards or benefits to gambling participation.
The Director of the Economic and Technological Development Bureau (DSEDT), Yau Yun Wah, stated during a press briefing that Macau’s current advertising framework—first enacted over 30 years ago—no longer aligns with the reality of today’s media landscape and technological development. Yau emphasized the need to modernize the law in line with the government’s broader objective of streamlining administrative procedures and enhancing regulatory clarity.
“The nature of advertising, including its content, format, and dissemination channels, has changed significantly. This consultation aims to gather public and industry views to ensure the law is both relevant and enforceable,” he said.
While existing legislation already bans advertising for games of chance and restricts gaming concessionaires to promoting gambling only within designated casino areas, the proposed changes go further by specifying additional elements that constitute gambling promotion. These include using visual cues or information that could evoke associations with gambling activities.
The proposal also introduces updated regulatory frameworks to cover emerging advertising formats, improve administrative oversight, and revise penalty mechanisms. Under the new system, advertising would no longer require prior approval but would instead follow a simple registration process. However, in the event of a violation, authorities could take immediate action to obscure offending advertisements, with penalties to be defined following stakeholder consultation.
To facilitate dialogue, the DSEDT will hold five consultation sessions—three dedicated to industry stakeholders and two open to the general public. The bureau aims to complete the legal drafting process following the consultation phase and submit the bill to the Legislative Assembly in the fourth quarter of this year.
The proposal references Article 8 of Law No. 7/89/M and Article 42-A of the gaming concession law (Law No. 16/2001, republished via Chief Executive Dispatch No. 121/2022), both of which already impose limitations on gambling-related advertising. However, the current amendments are intended to consolidate and clarify the scope of the restrictions.
If adopted, the revised law would represent one of the most stringent gambling advertising bans in the region, reinforcing Macau’s commitment to responsible gaming and aligning its advertising regulations with international best practices.
