Macau authorities received more than 40 complaints and prosecuted 20 people for violating the city’s new casino smoking laws during the first three days of 2019, according to information from the Health Bureau.
The figures follow the introduction of Macau’s New Tobacco Control Act, which fully came into effect on 1 January 2019. The Act extends non-smoking areas across the city including a ban on smoking in the VIP areas of casinos, with smoking now only allowed inside specially ventilated smoking rooms.
In a series of press releases to start the new year, the Health Bureau revealed it had conducted 39 patrols of casino floors alongside Macau’s gaming regulator, the Gaming Inspection and Coordination Bureau (DICJ), with 20 people charged for illegal smoking.
The Health Bureau revealed earlier last week that, as of 2 January 2019, it has received requests for the operation of 498 smoking rooms in 47 gaming venues Macau-wide, with 378 smoking rooms already approved.
Any Macau casinos found to be operating illegal or unapproved smoking rooms face a fine of MOP$200,000 and forced closure of the room.
