Macau to overhaul decades-old casino advertising laws
The Macau government on Friday proposed changes to decades-old laws that regulate casino advertising. The current law was established in 1989, at the dawn of the digital age and more than a dozen years before the first casino concessions were awarded in 2002.
The amended law would ban any ads that “draw public attention or evoke associations with gambling activities” or “encourage anyone to participate in any form of gambling activity”.
Targeting minors would be strictly prohibited. The law would also apply to alcohol and cigarettes.
“The nature of advertising, including its content, format and dissemination channels, has changed significantly,” said Yau Yun Wah, director of the Economic and Technological Development Bureau, in a Friday press briefing.
New Macau casino advertising law will regulate influencers
The amended regulations will also address new forms of marketing such as livestreaming and influencer content.
“Participants in online promotional activities and live marketing – such as advertisers, advertising agencies, platform owners and presenters – are subject to the Advertising Activity Law and must comply with its provisions when their actions constitute advertising,” said Yau.
Influencers must demonstrate “truthfulness” and confirm that they actually use the products or services they endorse
“We hope that, in the future, advertising ambassadors will be clearly identified in advertisements,” the director added. In case of complaints or false claims, the law may add provisions for legal redress. Also, according to Macau Business, influencers from outside Macau cannot work inside the city without a permit.
A 30-day consultation period will “gather public and industry views to ensure the law is both relevant and enforceable”, Yau said.
Macau’s casinos reported a GGR of MOP21.06 billion ($2.6 billion) in June, up 19% year on year. Added to a robust performance in May – a 5% boost in GGR versus the consensus of 2.7% – it brings total GGR so far to MOP118.77 billion, up 4.4% over 2024.