The Macau Special Administrative Region
("Macau") is shaking up its advertising
rules, launching a 30-day public consultation on 4 July 2025 to
update a law that's been largely unchanged since 1989. The
proposed overhaul aims to bring Macau's advertising law in line
with the realities of today's digital and media landscape,
particularly in the context of gambling and influencer
marketing.
Outdated Framework Faces Overhaul
Macau's current Advertising Activity law, Law No. 7/89/M,
was enacted more than three decades ago, back when the city was
still under Portuguese control, casinos were operated by a monopoly
and Internet was at its infancy.
While the law has served its purpose in regulating traditional
advertising, it has become increasingly inadequate in addressing
the complexities of modern marketing, particularly with the
expansion of gambling in the territory and the advent of online
marketing and online gambling.
