The Macau SAR Government is considering introducing laws that would make the city-wide suspension of casino operations mandatory in the case of a public emergency.
The provision for mandatory casino closures forms part of a government proposal to overhaul the city’s civil protection system, which was recently put out for public consultation. Although there is currently no specific law enabling authorities to order a blanket suspension of casino operations. Macau’s six concessionaires last weekend all agreed to close their doors for the first time as Typhoon Mangkhut lashed the city – the second time in as many years that a T10 typhoon had hit Macau following the devastating Typhoon Hato in August 2017.
Speaking to reporters on Wednesday, Macau’s Secretary for Economy and Finance, Lionel Leong, said it was still too early to predict whether a mandatory closure regulation would form part of the new civil protection system.
“Will the closure in the future be regular? For the time being, I still cannot say,” he said. Leong added, however, that the Chief Executive does retain the power to issue an “exceptional measure” decree to order the closure of casinos, which was utilized last weekend.
Macau’s casinos were ultimately ordered shut for a period of 29 hours from 11pm on Saturday night until 4am Monday morning.
Leong was quick to praise casino operators for their cooperation during Typhoon Mangkhut, which he described as vital in ensuring the safety of employees and guests. However, he also called for the ongoing optimization of procedures for suspending gaming operations should similar public emergencies arise in the future.
The government concluded its public consultation on its proposed civil protection system in August and is currently debating its contents in the Legislative Assembly.
