The government of the Macao Special Administrative Region (MSAR) is to amend regulations to curb teenage gambling, local media reported Friday.

Macao Daily News, the leading local Chinese-language newspaper, quoted MSAR Chief Executive Edmund Ho Hau Wah as saying that the new rules will bar those unqualified for the casino entry from gaining prize money that they win.

The region's existing gaming laws forbid local civil servants and those under 18, including visitors, from entering casinos.

However, some of the rule breachers might be able to sneak in and win their prize.

The new regulations are hopefully to state clearly that neither the offender nor the offender's family members would get the prizes even if they had won, the Macao chief was cited by the newspaper.

Macao, a city with a population of 520,000, currently has 26 casinos under operation.

(Xinhua News Agency September 7, 2007)