Blue Water Casino Gambling Age

1. How Old Do You Have To Be To Go To A Casino And Gamble?
2. Blue Water Casino Gambling Agency
3. Blue Water Casino Gambling Agent
4. (CA) California Gambling

Review the Rules of the Casino

1. Gambling Age for Online Casinos vs Land-Based Casinos. The minimum legal age often starts at around 18 years of age in some places but can vary depending on the circumstances and requirements by the gambling commissions and the national legislation.
2. Casino gambling was legalized in Nevada in 1931 and it was the only state to offer that type of gambling until 1977 when New Jersey legalized casinos for its seaside resort town of Atlantic City. It is these land-based, stand-alone, casinos that were the original forms of casinos until riverboat and Indian casinos came along in the 1990s.
3. Aug 08, 2020 The legal gambling age is 18-years-old on all land under California jurisdiction. Because Indian casinos technically operate on reservation land, they aren’t beholden to California legislation. They can set their own legal gambling age to some extent (with some government oversight).

There’s a legal gambling age set by each individual state, pertaining to gambling in land-based casinos, as well as online establishments. The legal gambling age varies from one state to another. Generally speaking, you have to be at least 18 before you can spend your money at a casino. However, in some states, you have to wait until you’re 21. Join the fun at Four Winds Casinos Resort and Hotel, with locations in New Buffalo, Hartford, Dowagiac and South Bend, Michigan, you're always near the action.

Make the most of your casino visit by adhering to these important house rules. Learn about general casino rules, unacceptable behaviors and activities, and policies on electronic devices, lost items and promotions, as well as game-specific codes of conduct.

Potawatomi Hotel & Casino is a privately owned and operated business, therefore:

• Management has the right to refuse service to any guest and may request a valid ID while a guest is on the premises.
• No weapons are allowed.
• Smoking is not allowed in designated non-smoking areas, including all restaurants.
• No outside food or beverages may be brought into the facilities and no beverage containers holding alcohol may leave the PHC (special dietary needs/special occasion carry-ins require written authorization by PHC Senior Management in advance).
• Appropriate clothing, including shoes and shirt, is required to enter the premises. Transparent or excessively revealing clothing and low/saggy pants that reveal undergarments are not allowed.
• Bags, backpacks, purses and luggage are subject to search.
• No one under the age of 21 may enter the Casino gambling areas (18 for Bingo) or other age-restricted areas of the property.
• Minors accompanied by an adult 18+ years of age may access Bella Italiana, The Food Court, Canal Street Café, utilize catering spaces and stay in the hotel.
• No faces may be concealed while on property.

Unacceptable Behaviors and Activities

Guests are expected to behave in a courteous and respectful manner:

• No illegal, destructive, offensive or disruptive language, gesture or activity is allowed in the facility. Any such activity may result in guest removal from the property, permanent banishment and/or prosecution.
• The sale/resale of any PHC offers, coupons, gift certificates, promotional items, etc. is strictly prohibited.
• Fraudulent use or creation of a Fire Keeper’s Club^® card (or use of another guest’s Club card or privileges) is prohibited.
• Over-consumption of alcohol or use of controlled/illegal substances will not be tolerated.
• No person or organization shall solicit contributions, promote products/services or distribute literature on PHC property (inside or outside) without written authorization. No unauthorized solicitation of any kind is allowed.
• Any type of theft or criminal activity is prohibited and may result in a permanent ban or prosecution.
• Guests may not use, cash-in or take anything that does not belong to them.
• Loitering is prohibited.

Electronic Devices

• Management reserves the right to restrict the use of any personal electronic communication or recording devices while on PHC premises. Violators may be asked to leave the Casino and delete images.
• Guests may not videotape, photograph, digitally record or document activity in or around restricted areas at any time.
• Computerized eyewear or other wearable computerized, internet-accessible or transmitting devices (i.e., Google Glasses) are prohibited in the Casino.

Lost or Abandoned Items

• Management is not responsible for personal property, lost, abandoned or stolen articles, or gaming devices, including game credits and tickets.
• Found items should be turned in to Security. After seven days, unclaimed items will become property of PHC.

Promotions and Events

• Promotions/offers and special events may be altered, changed or canceled at the discretion of management without prior notice.

Other

• All management decisions are final.
• Separate house rules exist for gambling and the various types of games. These rules can be found on the Casino website or at promotional kiosks.
• Potawatomi Hotel & Casino encourages guests to gamble responsibly: learn how to play games, set a spending limit and gamble for fun and entertainment.
• This facility is under 24-hour surveillance.
• Guests can file a complaint concerning any service or activity on property by contacting Guest Relations or by completing a Guest Services Report.

• Malfunction voids all plays and pays.
• Minors are prohibited in gambling areas.
• All taxable winnings require two forms of government-issued identification, as well as documentation of a tax identification number.
• Management reserves the right to pay winnings in the form of a casino check.
• Must be at least 18 years old to play bingo and 21 years old to play casino games.
• Any banned, self-restricted or illegal guests are required to forfeit jackpots and prizes, and will be removed from the property.
• Players are responsible for all personal property and gambling devices (chips, tickets, money, player cards, machine credits, etc.). PHC Management is under no obligation to research, refund or replace any lost, stolen or abandoned item.
• Intoxicated guests will not be allowed to gamble and may be asked to leave.
• Using or cashing out another guest’s machine/credits/tickets/chips without that guest’s permission may result in a permanent ban and/or arrest and prosecution.
• All play is governed by Casino house rules.
• Casino personnel will not disclose any information about other guests.
• An acceptable government-issued photo ID is required when redeeming Fire Keeper’s Club points, participating in promotions and making credit or debit card transactions.
• Fire Keeper’s Club cards and promotions are only valid for the player assigned to them.
• Potawatomi Hotel & Casino is not responsible for typographical errors.
• The decision of Casino Management is final.
• Potawatomi Hotel & Casino complies with Title 31 requirements and anti-money-laundering mandates.
• Any type of theft, including the use of any other guest’s tickets/credits/machine/chips, will be prosecuted and may result in a ban from the property.

• No one under 18 years of age is permitted in the Bingo Hall.
• Smoking is not permitted while waiting in line or in designated non-smoking areas.
• Each player must purchase an admission package; no splitting of packs allowed.
• It is the player’s responsibility to shout “BINGO” loud enough to alert the caller to stop the game.
• Daubers must be used for all paper bingo games.
• Once the game is closed or the caller starts to call the letter of the next ball, no previous BINGOs will be honored and the game shall continue.
• The number drawn and called is official. The Bingo Flashboard and TV monitor are for players’ convenience only.
• Player’s name must appear on their receipt and must be on display at all times.
• No seat saving. Only a bingo package and an admission receipt for the current session will hold a chair.
• It is the player's responsibility to look after all unplayed paper. No refunds or exchanges. Bingo paper is only valid for the session in which it was purchased.
• Multiple winners will share the total cash value for each game equally at each level.
• We will make every effort to avoid placing duplicate cards into play. However, if duplicates do occur, there will be no compensation offered.
• One electronic bingo device per guest.
• Malfunction of electronic bingo devices voids all pay and play. Management is not responsible for bingo equipment failure.
• Electronic bingo devices may not be purchased with another player’s Club card.
• Any altered, mutilated or defaced bingo cards, pull-tabs or door prize tickets will not be honored.
• Only one door prize per person per session.
• Any bent door prize tickets are invalid for the door prize drawings.
• Door prize drawings for merchandise and certificates may not be redeemed for cash or exchanged.
• All door prizes must be claimed with a valid picture ID by the end of the bingo session; all unclaimed door prizes will be voided.
• For all fill-in-your-numbers style bingo games, a blue or black ink pen must be used and the numbers must be legible; otherwise the BINGO will be invalid.
• It is the player’s responsibility to put the original copy of the fill-in-your-numbers style bingo games into the proper boxes at the end of the table (e.g. Pick 8, Pick Yur Platter, Do it Yourself). Boxes will then be locked and no other cards will be accepted.
• Bingo winners of $1,200 or more and pull-tab winners of $600 or more must have two forms of identification, a social security card and a valid picture ID, to collect winnings.
• A valid picture ID is required when redeeming Fire Keeper’s Club^® card points, credit cards and debit cards at the admission booth.
• Talking must be kept to a minimum while bingo is being played.
• While the bingo session is in progress, personal electronic devices (e.g. cell phones, pagers, etc.) may not be used in the Bingo Hall. Please turn off ringer and/or phone to avoid disruption of play.
• Verbal abuse or the use of abusive language will not be tolerated.
• Pull-tabs are void if taken out of the building.
• No food or beverages may be brought into the Bingo Hall from outside this building.
• Drugs are strictly prohibited in the Bingo Hall.
• No solicitation of any kind is allowed in the Bingo Hall.
• Potawatomi Hotel & Casino is not responsible for lost or misplaced admission receipts or bingo paper.
• Potawatomi Hotel & Casino is not responsible for lost or stolen articles.
• Management reserves the right to change bingo sessions, prize amounts and starting times without notice.
• Management reserves the right to refuse service to any person. If it becomes necessary to ask a player to leave, a refund will not be made.
• Potawatomi Hotel & Casino is not responsible for typographical errors.
• The decision of Management is final.

1. English shall be the only language permitted at the poker table.
2. Each player in a poker game is required to play in his/her own interest only. No player is permitted to assist any one player over another. Collusion with another player or any other form of cheating, including soft play, may result in suspension or a ban.
3. Players must protect their own hands at all times. If a hand is killed or fouled by mistake, the player will have no redress and is not entitled to a refund of bets.
4. All games are “table stakes.” Only cheques in play at the beginning of a hand will count toward a player’s stack size. All cheques in play must remain in play unless the player leaves the table for a minimum of two hours or changes to a table of a different game type or limit.
5. Players must act in-turn. Verbal declarations in-turn are binding and take precedent over gestures or actions. Chips placed in the pot must stay in the pot. Potawatomi Hotel & Casino asks all players to state their intentions verbally to avoid confusion or an unfavorable ruling.
6. Action out of turn will be binding if the action to that player does not change. A cheque, call or fold does not change an action.
7. Table change requests are made through the Floorperson or their supervisors, et al. Seat change requests at the same table are made through the dealer. Moving tables or sitting at a table without staff permission may result in revocation of playing privileges for a period of time.
8. A one-hour meal break per eight-hour session is permitted. Only one guest per table may take a meal break at any time. A player may not have an additional meal break until eight hours after returning from the previous meal break.
9. Only two players may be away from a single game at any one time. A third player who gets up from a table will have 10 minutes to return or will forfeit that seat. This is called the “third man walking” rule.
10. A clock may be called on a player by any player who received cards that round or by a Potawatomi Hotel & Casino representative. Players who are found to be intentionally or repeatedly stalling the action may be penalized and/or asked to leave.
11. A player using the phrase “all-in” in any way may be obligated to bet all of his/her chips. The phrase “I’ll put you all-in” will be interpreted as the player declaring himself/herself “all-in.”
12. Communication between player and guest is prohibited while the player is involved in a hand.
13. Players may only play out of a rack until the big blind reaches them.
14. Players are allowed one token/item to use as a card protector, so long as that item’s size does not cover both Potawatomi Hotel & Casino logos on the playing card.
15. The Floorperson has the right to inspect any hand, whether called or not, to protect the integrity of the game.
16. A mucked hand retrieved by a player other than the owner is a dead hand—even if it was the winner.
17. All hole cards must be placed face-up on the table in front of the player (“tabled”) to win any portion of the pot during a contested showdown. A dealer cannot kill a “tabled” hand if it is the winning hand. Cards speak.
18. Potawatomi Hotel & Casino is not responsible for cash or cheques left on the table by a player.
19. Visibly intoxicated guests will not be permitted to play.
20. Potawatomi Hotel & Casino reserves the right to remove any player from any game for any reason.

The following are not permitted and may result in a warning, suspension or banning:

• The use of obscene language and/or verbal abuse directed at another player or staff member. This includes being overly critical of another player’s play.
• Creating a disturbance by arguing, shouting or making excessive noise.
• Destroying or defacing property, including throwing, tearing, bending or crumpling cards.
• The use of any tobacco product, electronic cigarettes or illegal substance.
• Carrying a weapon.
• Using a mobile phone for a voice call at the table and/or using any electronic device at the table while involved in a hand.
• Deliberately and/or repeatedly acting out of turn.
• Deliberately and/or repeatedly splashing chips into the pot.
• Agreeing to cheque a hand down when another player is all-in.
• Reading a hand for another player at the showdown before that hand has been “tabled.”
• Telling another player to turn a hand face-up at the showdown.
• Revealing the contents of a live hand in a multi-way pot before betting is complete.
• Improperly mucking a hand by deliberately discarding hands away from the muck, folding out of turn, revealing the contents of a folded hand to another player or folding when not facing a bet.
• Stacking chips in a manner that interferes with dealing or viewing cards.
• Making statements or taking action that could unfairly influence the course of play, whether or not the offender is involved in the pot.

• All wagers will be comprised of Potawatomi Hotel & Casino gaming cheques or an approved promotional PH&C coupon. No cash wagers are allowed.
• Only actively involved players are allowed to sit at a gaming table.
• Wagers may not be changed or added to after the dealer closes the betting.
• Only the seated player placing the contract wager may place a corresponding Bonus or Progressive wager. Players must remain seated until the completion of the round.
• If any card is inadvertently exposed by the dealer or a malfunction of the shuffling device, all hands shall be void and the cards shall be reshuffled.
• All cards must remain over the table and in clear view of the dealer at all times.
• Players may hold the cards with only one hand, except in Four Card Poker.
• No other person will be allowed to touch the cards except a representative of table games.
• No showing of cards or discussing hands between players is allowed.
• Only English may be spoken at the table when cards are in play.
• To maintain the integrity of the game and help protect all players from fraudulent activity, no player can wear colored or shaded lenses while playing any card game.
• All decisions by Table Games Management are final. Management reserves the right to refuse service to anyone for any reason.

$1 Multi-Link Progressive Wagers

• Four Card Poker - To compete against the posted payout table, cards used will be the player’s original five cards.
• Let it Ride - To compete against the posted payout table, cards used will be the player’s original three cards and two community cards.
• Mississippi Stud - To compete against the posted payout table, cards used will be the player’s original two cards and three community cards.
• Three Card Poker - To compete against the posted payout table, cards used will be the player’s original three cards and two community cards.
• Ultimate Texas Hold ’Em - To compete against the posted payout table, cards used will be the player’s original two cards and the Flop (first three community cards).

• Guests may only gamble at one table at a time. If a player is not present when the cards are dealt, he or she will not receive a hand and may lose his or her seat.
• Only actively involved players are allowed to sit at a gaming table. Minimum and maximum betting limits are posted at each gaming table. No exceptions can be made to betting limits.
• The following is not permitted on or at the gaming tables: personal items, food or eating and electronic devices.
• Wagers must consist of Potawatomi Hotel & Casino cheques. Currency wagers or cheques from other casinos will not be accepted for play.
• To maintain the integrity of the game and help protect all players from fraudulent activity, no player can wear colored or shaded lenses while playing any card game; and English must be spoken while playing any handheld card game when cards are in play.
• Potawatomi Hotel & Casino is not responsible for casino cheques left at a table.
• Guests are expected to behave in a respectful manner. Loud, abusive, obscene or belligerent behavior will not be tolerated. Any guest exhibiting these behaviors will be escorted from the premises.
• Any guest caught cheating will be escorted out of the Casino immediately and may face prosecution or permanent restriction from entering the Casino.
• Any guest who violates a House Rule is subject to removal from the premises and potential permanent ban.
• All decisions by Table Games Management are final. Management reserves the right to refuse service to anyone.
• All Casino Code of Conduct House Rules and Gambling House Rules apply to all players and guests.

Gambling in Macau has been legal since the 1850s when the Portuguese government legalised the activity in the autonomous colony. Since then, Macau has become known worldwide as the 'Gambling capital of the world'^[1][2] or 'Monte Carlo of the East'.

Gambling tourism is Macau's biggest source of revenue, making up about 50% of the economy. Visitors are made up largely of Chinese nationals from mainland China and Hong Kong. With the entry of large foreign casinos from Las Vegas and Australia, Macau overtook the Las Vegas Strip in gambling revenues in 2007.

Until Western-style casino games were introduced in the 20th century, only Chinese games were played, the most popular being Fan-Tan. Generally, gambling in Macau can be divided into one of four categories: casino games, greyhound racing, sports betting, and lotteries. At the present time, Macau does not license online gambling operations.

Macau, a special administrative region like Hong Kong, is the only place in China where casinos are legal, and the business has grown at an astounding pace since 2001, when the government ended the four-decade gambling monopoly of the Hong Kong billionaire Stanley Ho.

Macau is the pre-eminent gambling capital of the world, grossing the highest amount of gambling/gaming revenue and greatly dwarfing all the other gambling centers/cities.^[1][2][3]

History[edit]

In an attempt to generate revenues for the government, gambling in Macau was legalized by the Portuguese government in 1849.^[4] In the late 19th century, the government introduced a licensing system for the fantan houses (Chinese gambling houses). It is reported that over 200 gambling houses were required to pay gambling rent to the government.^[5] The second casino monopoly concession was granted to the Tai Heng^[6] Company in 1937.^[7] The company was, however, too conservative to fully exploit the economic potential of gambling.

The industry saw a major breakthrough in 1962 when the government granted the monopoly rights to all forms of gambling to Sociedade de Turismo e Diversões de Macau (STDM), a syndicate jointly formed by Hong Kong and Macau businessmen. The STDM introduced western-style games and modernised the marine transport between Macau and Hong Kong, bringing millions of gamblers from Hong Kong every year.^[5] The license was extended in 1986 for another 15 years but expired at the end of 2001.

Macau was transferred to the People's Republic of China in 1999 and became a special administrative region of China. During this transition, there were no changes to gambling policy in Macau.^[8]

In 2002, the Macau government ended the monopoly system and granted 3 (later 6) casino operating concessions (and subconcessions) to: Sociedade de Jogos de Macau (SJM, an 80% owned subsidiary of STDM), Wynn Resorts, Las Vegas Sands, Galaxy Entertainment Group, the partnership of MGM Mirage and Pansy Ho Chiu-king, and the partnership of Melco and PBL. On 18 May 2004, the Sands Macau casino opened near the Macau Ferry Terminal. Today, there are 16 casinos operated by the STDM, and they are still crucial in the casino industry in Macau.

Economic aspects[edit]

The so-called 'Monte Carlo of the Orient', Macau's economy relies heavily on gambling. Nowadays, the gambling industry generates over 40% of the GDP of Macau. Since the early 1960s, around 50% of Macau's official revenue has been driven by gambling. The percentage remained steady until the late 1990s. In 1998, 44.5% of total government revenue was produced by the direct tax on gambling. Then there was a 9.1% decrease in 1999, probably due to internet gaming. After the handover of the Macau from Portugal to China, the SAR released gambling licenses to other companies in order to eliminate the monopoly played by the STDM. In 2002, the government signed concession contracts with two Macau gaming companies, Wynn Resort Ltd. and Galaxy Casino. This opened the gambling market for competition and increased government tax revenue significantly. It also attracted more tourists to Macau. At this moment, according to official statistics, gambling taxes form 70% of Macau's government income.^[9]

However, the gambling industry is also a source of instability in the Macau economy, as the nature of gambling business is not susceptible to technological advancement or productivity growth. The gambling business is still dependent on the prosperity of other Asian economies, especially that of China. Due to Xi Jinping's promise on cracking down of corruption across mainland China, casino profits from across Macau have been reporting a decline in monthly profits^[10] In addition, a proliferation of other gambling venues in the region is drawing the target demographic away. Macau's 2018 grew 13% over the prior year, but this lagged behind the 41% growth in emerging casino markets in Singapore, South Korea, the Philippines and Australia, according to Fitch Ratings. In 2019 casino earnings reached their lowest level in three years.^[11]

Gambling forms[edit]

Casinos[edit]

Macau has 41 casinos (as of 2019), of which the biggest is The Venetian Macao. Twenty-four casinos are located on the Macau Peninsula and 17 on Taipa Island or the Cotai Strip. They all operate under a government franchise and under a common set of rules.

The main casino operators in Macau are SJM Holdings, Galaxy Entertainment and Las Vegas Sands with respective revenues of 9.7, 4.8, and 4.2 billion in 2011.^[12]

A wide range of games are available, including roulette, blackjack, baccarat, boule, Sic bo, Fan Tan, keno and slot machines.

Poker was introduced only in August 2007, in an electronic table format at Galaxy Starworld casino. The first live poker tournament was the Asia Pacific Poker Tour Macau event in November 2007. Shortly thereafter, in January 2008, the government of Macau published the official rules for Texas hold 'em poker games in Macau. In February 2008, Grand Lisboa Casino added the first live-dealer cash game tables. In May 2008, 'PokerStars Macau' opened at Grand Waldo Casino. In November 2008, Texas Holdem' Poker opened at Wynn Macau. 'PokerStars Macau' moved to a new location at the Grand Lisboa Casino in March 2009. Today, Wynn Macau, StarWorld, and the Venetian offer live-dealer cash game poker tables.^[13] Previously, most casinos were non-smoking. This caused serious discontent from both operators and visitors. In 2019, the Chinese Ministry of Health allowed smoking in special rooms in most casinos. In February 2020, in connection with the spread of coronavirus, after a two-week break in the casino, a restriction was introduced.

Horse racing[edit]

Other than casinos, there is betting at the Macau Jockey Club and the dog-racing Canidrome.

Horse-racing mainly takes place every Tuesday and Saturday or Sunday at the race-course on the Taipa Island of Macau. The race-course has an area of 450,000 square metres and 18,000 seats for gamblers, and is open only for people over 18 years of age.

The Macau Jockey Club was formerly the Macau Trotting Club. In 1991, it was acquired by a consortium led by Stanley Ho. The Macau Jockey Club is one of the largest private employers of Macau with around 1,400 employees and around 1,100 part-timers.

Ways of betting

• On-course betting

There are over 210 betting terminals 'on-course'. All terminals can perform sell and pay functions. Punters may bet in Hong Kong dollars or Macau patacas. Bets are accepted up to the start of each race. Punters may place a bet by oral instructions or by filling a ticket.

• Off-course betting

There are over 80 betting terminals in the Off-Course Betting Centres. 14 Off-course Betting Centres are located in popular districts of Macau and Taipa.

• Internet betting

The Internet betting service commenced on 20 September 2003. Customers can review the Club's internet betting website at www.macauhorsebet.com.

• Telephone services

There are over 600 telephone service terminals and a total of over 38,000 telebet accounts. The winning dividend of account holders may at their instructions be automatically transferred to their bank accounts.

How Old Do You Have To Be To Go To A Casino And Gamble?

• Fast Access Terminals (FAT)

Launched in June 1997, the personal betting terminal, FAT (Fast Access Terminal) offers betting, calculation of bet units, record tracking of bets, account enquiry, withdrawal instructions and other related information on races such as declaration and race-odds. Close to 1,000 customers are currently using FAT.

• Hong Kong Service Centres

Three service centres are now set up in Hong Kong including Shaukeiwan Service Centre, Sheung Wan Service Centre and Mongkok Service Centre.

Greyhound racing[edit]

Greyhound racing takes place at the Canidrome on Avenida General Castelo Branco. These races are held on Mondays, Thursdays, Fridays and weekends starting from 7:45 pm and there are 16 games on every racing evenings. Admission is MOP$10 (usable for betting) for the public stand.

Players can bet inside the greyhound racing centre, or in off-course betting centres located in the Hotel Lisboa, Jai-Alai Palace and Kam Pek Casino.

Gambling and society[edit]

The casino industry is viewed by some as harmful to society. A high crime rate was one of the biggest problems that Macau's colonial Portuguese government had to face. Since Macau's return to China's rule in 1999, the public security situation has markedly improved. With the growth of the casino industry, a business called 'bate-ficha' was developed and it is usually run by different triad societies. The bate-ficha business is an element of triad involvement in Macau's gambling industry. Bate-ficha involves selling customers 'dead chips' that cannot be exchanged for cash in the casinos, but only by bate-ficha men or women, who are officially known as 'gaming promoters' or 'middlemen' for a commission.

Triad involvement in Macau casinos makes a serious social impact on the local area. It attracts the attention of Chinese gangsters, whose deadly battles over the fortunes to be made from racketeering and extortion in the territory are a continuing problem. As different triad societies compete for controlled territory in the casinos and on the streets, disputes between societies occur from time to time. These are often settled in violent ways. Even worse, triad societies have grown so powerful in Macau that there was a trend that people tried to seek help from these societies rather than from the police. Although the situation has improved since the 1999 handover to China, the problem is still entrenched in the local area.

Gaming law[edit]

No one under the age of 21 is allowed to gamble.

Detailed law is enforced in Macau to ensure 'qualified operation of gambling' in Macau. The details are listed in Law 16/2001 (regime jurídico da exploração de jogos de fortuna ou azar em casino), and other laws regulating the activity of gaming promoters and credit for gaming.

The Gaming Inspection and Coordination Bureau (known as DICJ) is the main government unit that oversees the operation of different gaming activities.

Under Macau law, it stated that a permit issued by the Gaming Inspection and Coordination Bureau is required for the operation of lotteries sales, lucky draw or similar activities, and the initial procedure in the application on the operation of lotteries sales, lucky draw, or similar activities is to submit a notification to the relevant government department ten days prior to the application.

In the Macau legal system, gaming law is not considered as a branch of law in the traditional sense. Instead, it may be considered as a transversal gathering of a range of legal topics more or less directly related to gaming, including constitutional law, administrative law, tax law, company law, contract law, and criminal law. In this manner, issues of public law as well as private law are of relevance for gaming.

Blue Water Casino Gambling Agency

Tax law issues[edit]

The taxation of casino sub/concessionaires is made of a fixed part and a variable part. The variable part falls on the gross gaming revenue. The tax rate is currently of 35%, plus two contributions of up to 2% and 3% for social and economic purposes. The maximum tax is therefore 40%. In addition, a fixed premium is also payable, plus a premium per VIP table, other table, and slot machine. Gaming promoters pay taxes on commissions received.

Contract law issues[edit]

Blue Water Casino Gambling Agent

From the perspective of contract law, gaming and betting are contracts which may or may not generate civil or natural obligations for the parties. The matter is regulated in the Civil Code 1999 (art. 1171), which states, drawing from Roman law, that gaming and betting generate natural obligations except in sports competitions and where the law provides otherwise. The problem is that gaming legislation currently does not provide to this effect.

Regarding credit for gaming, Macau law states since 2004 that the granting of credit for casino games of fortune generates civil obligations, which are fully enforceable in Macau courts. Credit for casino games of fortune is defined as any case where chips are passed on to a player without immediate cash payment of such chips; this is an intentionally broad concept. Credit for gaming is regulated by Law no. 5/2004, of 14 June.

Criminal law issues[edit]

From the perspective of criminal law, there are specific criminal offences related to gaming; see Law 8/96/M, of 22 July, and Law 9/96/M, of 22 July. Other criminal law matters are covered by broader laws: the Penal Code and the law on Organized crime. Game cheating is mentioned in art. 6 of Law 8/96/M, of 22 July. In addition, general laws on the prevention and repression of money laundering and the financing of terrorism through casinos apply.

Problem gambling[edit]

As of November 2011, exclusion of players from gambling establishments is voluntary. If the person realises that their gambling activities begin to cause trouble, they can turn to the Gaming Inspection and Coordination Bureau to ban them from entering the casino. The government of Macau is seeking the opinions of the citizens on the possibility of establishing a programme that will allow excluding problem gamblers from all casinos without their consent. The Legislative Assembly is currently^[when?] analyzing the new draft law, which also deals with the problem of exclusion from gambling houses. The law suggests that the person can be excluded from the casino if they submit their own request or approve the request submitted by their relatives.^[15]

Other matters[edit]

Competition law matters, and advertising law, as well as the impact of WTO law on gaming, may also be pointed out as part of gaming law. Regarding online gaming, the Macau SAR does not currently grant concessions for online casinos. The current casino concessions only cover land-based gaming, not online gaming.

Academic research and teaching[edit]

The teaching of Macau gaming law started in 2005 the Faculty of Business Administration of the University of Macau, in the undergraduate program of gaming management.Since 2007 it is also included in the master program of international business law offered by the Faculty of Law of the University of Macau [1], in which various theses have already been defended in topics of gaming law.

See also[edit]

References[edit]

1. ^ ^abBranigan, Tania (11 May 2011). 'Macau – gaming capital of the world'. The Guardian.
2. ^ ^ab'Macau: The world's gambling capital'. BBC News.
3. ^Riley, Charles (6 January 2014). 'Macau's gambling industry is now 7 times bigger than Vegas'. CNNMoney.
4. ^Godinho, Jorge (2012) 'A history of games of chance in Macau, Part 1 : Introduction', in Gaming Law Review and Economics, Vol. 16, no. 10, p. 552-556, and (2013) 'Part 2 : The foundation of the Macau gaming industry », Gaming Law Review and Economics, Vol. 17, no. 2, p. 107-116.
5. ^ ^abChan, S. S. (2000). The Macau Economy. Macau: Publications Centre, University of Macau. ISBN99937-26-03-6.
6. ^'Macau Gaming Summary'. UNLV Center for Gaming Research. Retrieved 19 April 2012.
7. ^Macau Yearbook 2007. Government Information Bureau of the Macau SAR. 2007. ISBN978-99937-56-09-5.
8. ^'All you need to know, Macau Hotel'. Gambling Info. Retrieved 27 June 2011.
9. ^Bloomberg, Macau Casinos Top Las Vegas as Adelson, Wynn, Battle Stanley Ho, 1 March 2007
10. ^'Macau Gambling decline'. Yahoo Finance. Retrieved 21 December 2015.
11. ^Ese Erheriene (7 May 2019). 'Casino Boom in Asia Pressures Vegas Operators: Regions new venues aim to draw gamblers beyond Macau, U.S. giants' longtime hub'. The Wall Street Journal. p. B5.
12. ^'Main casino operators in Macau'. Travel & Gamble Online Magazine. Archived from the original on 24 June 2017.
13. ^'Best Poker Rooms in Macau – Macau Poker Updated Jan 2014'.
14. ^video on www.oceanus.asiaArchived 1 February 2011 at the Wayback Machine
15. ^Macau Daily Times: Gov't considers ban on problem gamblers

Further reading[edit]

• Jorge Godinho, 'Casino Gaming in Macau: Evolution, Regulation and Challenges', in UNLV Gaming Law Journal, vol. 5(1), 2014, pp. 1 ff. [2]
• Jorge Godinho, 'A History of Games of Chance in Macau: Part 1 – Introduction', in Gaming Law Review and Economics, vol. 16(10), October 2012, pp. 552 ff. [3]
• Jorge Godinho, Macau Business Law and Legal System, LexisNexis, Hong Kong, 2007 (ISBN9789628937271) [4]
• Governo de Macau, O Jogo em Macau, 1985.
• Angela Leong, 'The 'bate-ficha' business and triads in Macau casinos', QUEENSLAND U. OF TECH. L. & JUST., 84 (2002)
• Metaxas Theodore and Folinas Sotiris (2016) 'Gambling Tourism and Economic Development: Some lessons from Macao,' MPRA Paper 72397, University Library of Munich, Germany.

External links[edit]

(CA) California Gambling

• Media related to Gambling in Macau at Wikimedia Commons