Macau may soon be looking to impose a blanket ban on all gambling-related advertising, which would be a break with current practices, and supposedly help protect consumers. A blanket ban on gambling ads has been imposed in several jurisdictions across the world, including Italy, with different levels of success.
Macau is toying with a blanket ban on gambling ads, asking for public input
The Special Administrative Region is presently in the process of public consultation on its proposed amendments that are set to change Macau’s Advertising Activities Law, and which will continue through August 2, 2025.
The issue that SAR has with the current gambling ads is that the law they are based on is obsolete and does not properly reflect the present-day realities.
The Economic and Technology Development Bureau, which is reviewing the matter, has said that evolving economic activities, a nod to the fact that Macau wants to diversify away from gambling as much as it can, require a closer look at what could be changed.
However, reviewers are not looking for some sort of middle ground. Instead, they are trying to determine whether it would make sense to simply flip the switch and kill all forms of gambling advertisement.
The suggestion is to do away with any ads about gambling-related tools or equipment, as well as operators and venues. Even more importantly, the possible changes in the law would also want to clamp down on associative promotion, i.e., the types of ads that could put people in mind of gambling, even though the ads are not explicitly stating as much.
While a revision of the gambling ads is a standard practice in most regulated gambling markets, what Macau’s current proposal lacks is concrete examples. What would constitute an offense, most industry onlookers wonder, with the Economic and Technology Development Bureau not really showing any specific examples.
Gambling ads are not necessary for Macau’s economic sustainability
Reviewers remain committed to enacting the changes, however, as they want to limit the adverse effects that gambling could have on society. With Macau cracking down on junkets and trying to actively make itself less of a gambling Mecca and more of a diverse economic hub, more rules could be forthcoming.
Ambling ads are also not necessary for the gambling industry in Macau’s case, it seems, as the SAR’s status as a gambling destination is well-established and there is little prompting needed for gamblers to come and visit.
