Last year, Macau updated its smoking policies throughout the city, making it prohibited to smoke in a number of public places, including anywhere inside casinos. Casinos were given a grace period to conform with the new standards and – although most have complied – there appears to be a breakdown in the system. The number of fines now being issued for violating the no-smoking rules has been increasing.

Through the end of last month, 1,431 individuals have been fined for smoking in prohibited areas inside Macau’s casinos. During the same period last year, only 779 people were ticketed for illegally smoking.

From January 2018 through October, there have been a total of 725 site inspections conducted with the assistance of the Macau Health Bureau inside casinos. This is an increase of 165 over the number of inspections conducted during the first ten months of 2017.

The bureau also indicated that the majority of the incidents occurred at the same casinos, including the Sands Macao. The casino hotel is operated by Sands China Ltd., a division of Las Vegas Sands Corp.