The concession for instant lotteries and sports betting in Macau

Abstract

This communication analyzes the creation and subsequent evolution of the monopoly concession of instant lotteries in Macau, which was later expanded to include sports betting, from a legal point of view. The administrative law framework of both instant lotteries and sports betting in Macau needs to be studied together, as these two types of legalized gambling are today part of one unified concession and therefore are inextricably linked. Instant lotteries were the first to appear, on the basis of legislation passed in 1984. Subsequently, in 1998 betting on sports events was deemed by the Government to be a type of lottery and formally authorized as an extension of the concession of instant lotteries. One of the main purposes of the discussion is the documentation and critique of the current administrative practices, especially in relation to sports betting. Another objective is to consider the prospects for the evolution of this concession, and especially whether the linkage between sports betting and instant lotteries makes sense, and whether the current practice of granting a monopoly concession has a sound legal basis and is justified from a policy perspective.