|
[Print-friendly version]
Full
text of this Article
Printer
version of full article(pdf)
Abstract
The "Bate-Ficha" Business and Triads in Macau Casinos
Angela Veng Mei Leong
This paper focuses on explaining the unique 'bate-ficha' business, which is
based on non-transferable gaming chips, as practiced only in Macau casinos.
However, this concept of 'bate-ficha' lies in a gray area in the laws of Macau.
Even though the practice is monitored by the Macau police and often appears
in the news, there is no formal regulation governing its operation. Changes
in casino management combined with cronyism are the main reasons for the evolution
of the 'bate-ficha' business. The nature of 'bate-ficha' business appears to
be highly vulnerable to triad involvement. Weak law enforcement and corruption
amplify this problem. The functions of triads and the role of violence in the
casinos, especially in the 'bate-ficha' business, are also described. A modified
version of Gambetta's economic theory of private protection is utilized to explain
the related issues of triad involvement and loan sharking in the 'bate-ficha'
business. This is the first systematic research on the 'bate-ficha' business
in Macau and is mainly based on in-depth interviews, observations and secondary
resources.
2. See D Gambetta, The Sicilian Mafia: The Business of Private Protection
(1993).
Full
text of this Article
|
