Stricter measures have been proposed to address illegal gambling activities, including a prison sentence of one to five years for lending for gambling purposes, according to a bill published on the website of the Legislative Assembly.

The new bill – set to replace the existing Illegal Gambling Law (Law 8/96/m) – proposes that all lending conducted on the premises of casinos and their associated facilities for consumption purposes will be regarded as illegal loans.

The definition of such facilities
covers venues dedicated to art, culture, recreation, commerce, and activities
related to the hospitality sector.

If the lender asks for
or accepts identification documents from the borrower as collateral for an
illegal loan, they will face imprisonment for two to eight years.

According to the draft
legal text, individuals engaged in the unauthorised operation of casino games
or pari-mutuels are liable to a jail term of one to eight years.

In a similar vein,
anyone involved in the operation, promotion, and organisation of online
gambling and mutual betting – whether the systems or devices involved are located
in Macau – could face the prospect of imprisonment for one to eight years.

Besides the principal
penalties, the bill has also introduced additional penalties to deter illegal
gambling practices. Convicted individuals will be barred from entering specific
venues or being suspended from certain jobs for a duration of two to ten years.

Non-locals convicted of
the crimes can face deportation or an entry ban for a period of five to 10
years.