Macau's casinos fail air quality tests despite decade-old smoking ban

A decade after Macau banned smoking in casinos, most still flout the rules. Now, fines loom as tests expose dangerously poor air quality in gaming halls.

, and Administrator

2026 May 3 . 8:04 PM

1 min read

The image shows a no smoking sign on a white background. The sign is rectangular in shape with a... — The image shows a no smoking sign on a white background. The sign is rectangular in shape with a red circle in the center and a black line through it, indicating that it is a prohibition sign. The text on the sign reads "No Smoking" in bold black lettering.

Macau's casinos fail air quality tests despite decade-old smoking ban

Macau’s casinos are struggling to follow a long-standing no-smoking rule. Introduced in 2013, the ban requires all gaming venues to meet strict air quality standards. Yet, recent checks show many are still falling short of compliance. A government review found that 28 out of 44 casinos and slot parlours failed to meet at least one of six air quality benchmarks. This means 64% of the city’s gaming venues may not be fully compliant with the smoking ban.

Tests also revealed that two-thirds of the inspected locations had unsatisfactory air quality in their designated smoking areas. The issue has prompted Macau’s Secretary for Economy and Finance to issue a warning: casinos must improve conditions or risk facing penalties. The no-smoking edict was meant to take full effect on January 1, 2013. Over a decade later, enforcement remains a challenge as many venues continue to violate the rules.

Authorities have now ordered non-compliant casinos to take corrective action. Those that fail to meet air quality standards could be hit with fines or other disciplinary measures. The move aims to ensure stricter adherence to the smoking ban across Macau’s gaming industry.