Macao Casinos To Undergo Restructuring As Regulator Ramps Up Ranks With New Inspectors

Macao's casino regulator has sought to beef up its ranks as tourism from mainland China grows and gross gaming income increases,

The Gaming Inspection and Coordination Bureau (DICJ) has proposed increasing the number of inspectors it employs from 192 to 459. In addition, the regulator intends to create a new director-level position.

In its latest move to strengthen oversight, the DICJ, which advises the city's chief executive on all gambling-related topics, suggested reorganizing many of its departments.

The proposed regulations will go into effect once they are published in the local official gazette. This is likely to happen in the next few weeks, according to local news reports.

The news of the regulatory agency's planned reorganization and the hiring of more than 250 more inspectors broke around a year before the six casino licenses that enable six local and foreign businesses to offer casino-style gaming services at luxury hotels across Macao expired.

All six licenses in the world's richest gaming hotspot, and the only site in China where gambling is legal, will expire in the summer of 2022.

It is still unclear how the license renewal procedure will unfold next year. Macao politicians are still working on the re-tendering process. They are now doing a complete assessment of all aspects of the city's casino industry, since it has changed significantly since 2002, when the six licenses were first issued, and requires sufficient controls and regulations.

Officials want to conclude a public consultation process before the end of the year as well.

Since the beginning of 2020, Macao has battled with a lack of visitors owing to coronavirus restrictions. While gaming revenues have increased in recent months, they are still less than half of what they were in 2019.