Macau lawmakers say it’s time to modernize the region’s outdated casino advertising laws. The proposed revisions aim to bring current practices under clearer regulation, including marketing activities by influencers.
Macau’s government on Friday proposed updates to its decades-old casino advertising laws, originally enacted in 1989—long before the rise of digital media and well ahead of the city issuing its first casino concessions in 2002.
Under the proposed amendments, advertisements that “attract public attention or create associations with gambling activities” or that “encourage individuals to engage in any form of gambling” would be prohibited.
Targeting minors would be strictly banned under the proposed changes, which would also extend to advertising for alcohol and tobacco products.
“The nature of advertising—its content, format, and channels of distribution—has changed significantly,” said Yau Yun Wah, Director of the Economic and Technological Development Bureau, during a press conference on Friday.
New Macau casino advertising law will regulate influencers
The updated regulations will also cover emerging marketing strategies, including livestreaming and influencer-driven promotions.
“Those involved in online promotional and live marketing activities—such as advertisers, agencies, platform operators, and content creators—will fall under the scope of the Advertising Activity Law and must adhere to its rules when their actions qualify as advertising,” explained Yau Yun Wah, Director of the Economic and Technological Development Bureau.
Influencers will be required to be truthful in their endorsements and must genuinely use the products or services they promote.
“In the future, we want advertising ambassadors to be clearly identifiable within promotional content,” Yau added. He also noted that provisions may be introduced for legal action in cases of complaints or misleading claims. Additionally, foreign influencers will need proper permits to operate within Macau, according to Macau Business.
To ensure the new law is both practical and enforceable, a 30-day public consultation will be held to gather input from citizens and industry stakeholders, Yau said.
Meanwhile, Macau’s casinos reported gross gaming revenue (GGR) of MOP21.06 billion ($2.6 billion) in June, a 19% increase year-on-year. Coupled with a strong May performance—which exceeded forecasts with a 5% rise in GGR—Macau’s total GGR for the year has reached MOP118.77 billion, up 4.4% compared to the same period in 2024.
