Lawmaker-cum-restaurateur Andrew Chan Chak Mo, who chairs the Legislative Assembly’s 2nd Standing Committee, said yesterday that only local residents are allowed to be hired by the city’s gaming promoters to assist in their intermediary business operations, according to a future law regulating Macau’s junket sector.
Gaming promoters is the official term for junket operators. The gaming industry amendment bill currently under review by the committee refers to those working for gaming promoters as “collaborators”. The future law on the city’s junkets is still being drafted by the government.
Addressing a press briefing after yesterday’s closed-door meeting reviewing the bill with government officials, Chan said that the meeting went off “very smoothly”, adding that he expects the first article-by-article review of the bill to be accomplished after just one more meeting with the officials.
The 2 ½ -hour meeting was attended by Secretary for Economy and Finance Lei Wai Nong, Gaming Inspection and Coordination Bureau (DICJ) Director Adriano Marques Ho and other government officials, as well as five lawmakers who are not members of the 2nd Standing Committee but are entitled to attend the meeting without taking an active part.
Chan quoted the government officials as saying that the future residency status requirement for the “collaborators” will take effect this year, as that way it is “easier to monitor” them concerning issues such as taxation and protection of the rights of local workers.
The current version of the gaming industry amendment bill proposes that any of the current gaming concessions that fails to win a new concession in the upcoming bidding process must be wound up in accordance with the relevant provisions in the Commercial Code. Chan, however, quoted the opinion expressed by some gaming concessionaires that they shouldn’t need to dissolve their company after amending the articles that regulate the scope of their business. Chan quoted the government officials as responding to the opinion that the government will consider the idea.
The bill also proposes that once a gaming concession is revoked or extinguished by the government, all the casinos of the respective concessionaire, together with its gaming tables, slot machines and other equipment, will revert to the government, Chan pointed out, adding that this regulation will also apply to the respective concessionaire’s uncompleted gaming investments. Chan quoted the government officials as saying that the gaming amendment bill will clarify the definition of such uncompleted gaming investments, which do not include other businesses such as hotels, retail shops, and F&B outlets.
The bill proposes that the chief executive may revoke any concession if its holder fails to meet the obligations under the law or its concession agreement with the government. Chan said that some committee members expressed concern whether the revocation would be immediately carried out once the concessionaire’s activities have been confirmed to be a violation of the law.
Chan quoted the government officials as explaining that the enforcement would be based on the level of severity of the irregularities by the concessionaire, which the officials said would be clearly stated in the bill.
Lawmaker-cum-restaurateur Andrew Chan Chak Mo (right), who chairs the legislature’s 2nd Standing Committee, talks to reporters after the committee’s closed-door meeting yesterday reviewing the government’s gaming amendment bill, as the committee’s secretary, Lam Lon Wai, looks on. Photo: Ginnie Liang
