On Tuesday, Macao announced a 45-day public consultation that observers fear will lead to tighter regulations on the lucrative gambling industry in an extension of the recent crackdown on private business by Chinese authorities.
The government of the semi-autonomous Chinese territory was considering changes in nine areas, Macao’s economic and financial secretary Lei Wai Nong told reporters. Those areas include the number of gambling licenses issued and their duration, a stronger review mechanism for approving operators, and employee welfare.
“[The Macao] government has decided to conduct a comprehensive review and improvement of the existing legal system on the basis of past regulatory experience, the current situation of the gaming industry and Macao’s economic development,” the statement said.
— CNN’s Beijing bureau contributed to this article.