Macau’s gaming regulator has received a sharp rebuke from the SAR’s anti-corruption body over an attempt to impose a duplicate fine on an individual for the same administrative violation.
In a statement on Tuesday, the Commission Against Corruption (CCAC) said it had received a complaint regarding an individual who was fined by the Gaming Inspection and Coordination Bureau (DICJ) for “nuisance at a casino.”
The DICJ barred the individual from the casino and issued a fine while verbally instructing him to submit proof of payment to the bureau. The fine was subsequently paid to the Financial Services Bureau (DSF); however, the proof of payment was not submitted to the DICJ.
Months later, the gaming regulator – without first verifying whether the fine had already been paid – sent a written request to the DSF for coercive collection of the same fine, according to the CCAC.
The anti-corruption body noted that “in today’s world, when various departments have long achieved interconnection of electronic information, the occurrence of such unreasonable, bureaucratic and inefficient practices is rather unacceptable.”
The CCAC further stated that “departments themselves should bear the responsibility to monitor the update progress of information and should not rely entirely on feedback from residents.”
In a separate statement, the DICJ acknowledged the CCAC’s findings, saying it “attaches great importance to the CCAC’s suggestions and has immediately taken action to further improve its relevant administrative procedures.”
