Slot parlours regulation almost ready: Tam

The bylaw for the removal of slot machine parlours from residential neighbourhoods “is in the final stage of the legislative process,” the secretary for Economy and Finance said yesterday.
“As soon as the bylaw is out, the government will negotiate with the industry to set a timetable for the removal of such facilities from residential districts,” said Francis Tam Pak Yuen, quoted by the Government Information Bureau.
In 2007, Tam had said that the government would not grant more licences to lottery houses and slot machine venues in residential areas, explaining that it wanted to “gradually” remove gaming facilities from neighbourhoods.
Almost four years have passed and little was said about the new legislation, while public outcry was mounting.
The government official yesterday met with members of the Macau General Union of Neighbourhood Associations, including lawmaker Ho Ion Sang, who handed a report with the findings of a study on the impact of gaming facilities on residents’ lives.
Francis Tam disclosed after the meeting that the draft bylaw states that a gaming area is defined within 300 to 500 metres radius from a casino, according to yesterday’s statement. Out of that boundary would be the “community areas” where no gaming facilities would be sanctioned.
Moreover, he added, the government would only consider approving slot machine venues “in casinos, hotels or commercial buildings”.
Last week a survey carried out in two local neighbourhoods showed that almost two-thirds of the respondents said the government should remove gaming facilities from residential districts.
According to the findings of the survey, about 59 percent of the 586 residents interviewed in Ilha Verde and Fai Chi Kei said they regarded these venues in their neighbourhood as ‘unacceptable’.
Asked if the Administration would remove the slot machines venue from the Macau Canidrome, currently run by Stanley Ho’s SJM, Tam said the government would consider such possibility if most residents feel the impact has been negative.