Macau | Gambling Laws of the World 2026 Guide

What are the main applicable governing laws with regard to online gambling and betting?

With regard to the gaming and betting licensing regime:

• The Macau Gaming Law (Law no.16/2001, as amended by Law 7/2022)
• The Law on Illegal Gambling Activities (Law no.20/2024), and which covers, among other matters, the unlicensed supply of games, including the unauthorized supply of online games of chance or online betting
• The DICJ By-laws (Regulation no. 34/2003), subsequently amended by Regulation no. 19/2021
• The “Implementation Rules for Sports Lottery Betting Channels” approved by the Dispatch of the Secretary for Economy and Finance no. 38/2019
• The “Sports Betting Regulations – Bets on Football” approved by Executive Order 67/2018
• The “Sports Betting Regulations – Bets on Basketball” approved by Executive Order 20/2005

With regard to the advertisement of gambling:

• The Macau Advertisement Law (Law no.7/86/M)

Does offering online gambling and betting activities require a license from the local authorities, or can they be offered freely?

Online gaming (referred to as Interactive Gaming) is defined as playing games of chance that meet the following requirements:

• They're offered in Macau casinos in the form of table games or gaming machines;
• they offer a prize, in cash or in kind, that can be won in accordance with their respective rules;
• players participate by means of telecommunications (including telephone, fax, the internet, data networks and video or digital data transmission);
• players make, or agree to make, payments in cash or in kind to play the game

The concession of online gaming is subject to the granting of concession contracts by the Macau government.

Is it currently possible to apply for a license to offer online gambling and betting activities?

Regulations regarding online gaming have never been approved by the Macau government. Tenders to grant online gaming concessions have also never been launched by the Macau government. The Macau Gaming Law was substantially reviewed in 2022, with no relevant changes regarding online gaming having been introduced.

Therefore, there are no licenses currently available for operators to offer online gaming services in Macau.

What online games are allowed (eg sports betting, casino, poker, bingo)?

The online games allowed are games of chance which are also offered in Macau casinos in the form of table games and gaming machines. Those include the ones listed in the Macau Gaming Law or that have been approved by the Macau government.

The list of pre-approved games that may be offered in Macau casinos are:

The sole authorized sports betting operator in Macau (the Macau SLOT) is licensed to operate sports betting in football and basketball and, while doing so, authorized to operate online betting channels, in addition to telephone betting channels and land-based betting centres (cash-bet centres). 

Are there penalties and fines for offering online gambling and betting activities without a local license? 

Yes. The operation, promotion or organization, Without authorization, of online games of chance or online betting in Macau is expressly and autonomously stipulated as a criminal offence, irrespective of the offender conducting such activities in a habitual manner.

The Law on Illegal Gambling Activities, which came into force in October 2024, provides a definition of online gambling and online betting focused on three fundamental features: (i) games of chance and mutual betting (ii) which are played or wagered remotely, (iii) using electronic, computer, telematic or interactive systems or any other means, regardless of the servers and devices being located in Macau. Significantly, and as opposed to the other crimes of illegal gambling, negligent conduct is punishable by law.

The law includes no territorial provisions defining when the operation, promotion or organization of online gaming or online betting takes place in Macau. The absence of specific territorial rules means that determination on whether a certain infringement takes place in Macau will be made under the general provisions of the Criminal Code. Given the nature of online gambling, this may result in significant ambiguity and enforcement challenges.

The offence is punishable with imprisonment from 1 to 8 years.

Are there any restrictions on online gambling and betting advertising?

Yes. The Macau Advertisement Law prohibits any type of advertisement that uses games of chance as the essential element of the advertisement, including online gaming. The prohibition, however, doesn't appear to cover all types of gaming that don't qualify as games of chance under the Macau Gaming Law, such as sports betting and lotteries.

The Government of Macau SAR has recently submitted to the Legislative Assembly, for discussion, the initial version of a draft Bill of Law titled “Advertising Law” (the “Draft Bill”). In the terms proposed, the new law will replace and supersede the current Advertising Law (Law 17/89/M). The contents of the Draft Bill are publicly available at the Legislative Assembly’s website.

In the terms proposed pursuant to the Draft Bill, the new Advertising Law will include a new article specifically addressing advertising to gaming. At this juncture, it is not certain whether and in which terms the Draft Bill will be approved. If and once enacted, the new Advertising Law may strengthen restrictions against advertising to gaming.

What taxes are imposed on businesses operating in the online gambling sector?

There are no regulations currently governing or licenses currently available for operators to offer online gaming services in Macau.

What are the 2025/2026 key trends in regulatory and civil litigation for gambling operators in the local country?

There are no regulated online gaming operations in Macau, and there is no regulatory or civil litigation in Macau of relevance or interest to operators that offer online gaming services overseas.

Online gaming remains illegal in Macau. While the digital nature of these activities makes full elimination difficult, the authorities are known to actively combat these activities, with efforts on enforcement against illegal online gaming platforms and websites having recently increased, in concert with broader trends toward stricter financial security and AML policies and tighter control over fund movements felt across the greater China region.

For example, in September 2025, the Office of the Secretary for Security of the Government of Macau SAR announced its latest report on crime-fighting activities pursued by the government in the first half of 2025.

According to this announcement, the number of gaming-related crimes investigated by the authorities reached 1,139 cases, directly attributed to the enforcement of the Law on Illegal Gambling Activities that came into force in October 2024. The specific offence category of “Operation of Illegal Currency Exchange for Gambling” alone accounted for 240 cases, or 21.1% of all gaming-related crimes in the six-month period.

Also according to this announcement, a cooperation mechanism involving police, gaming regulators, and concessionaires successfully identified and blocked many illegal gambling websites fraudulently impersonating legitimate Macau gaming companies.