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Authorities in Guangdong announced that residents within the mainland Chinese province will only be allowed to apply for visas to travel to Macau on an individual basis once a month from June onwards.

The Macao Daily News reported that police in Guangzhou did not give further explanation on why such measures are decided.

Guangdong had imposed tighter control to its residents to travel to Macau on an individual basis in May and August last year respectively.

Rumours has been spreading in the tourism sector that tighter measures will be imposed to mainland Chinese residents who wish to travel to Macau.

Post office staff in Guangzhou told Macao Daily News that authorities in the provincial capital has begun processing travel permit applications for 15 working days since this month. The travel permit issued to the applicant allows them to travel to Macau only once. With Saturdays and Sundays not being counted as working days, individuals basically are not able to apply for permits that will enable them to visit Macau again within the same month.

Sources also revealed that the issuance of business travel permits are also affected, with only three to five multiple entry permits issued to large companies instead of more than 10 in the past.

Public sector workers in the province are also reportedly to be affected by the restrictions.

The tourism sector suspected that the move is a further step to curb Macau’s gaming sector development.

With most of the customers to Macau’s casinos come from mainland China, the consequent social cost has got to be assumed by the mainland Chinese.

In an unrelated analysis, Standard and Poor’s pointed out that recent announcement by the Macau Government to regulate the gaming sector will make casino operators more difficult to attract customers, even though there will be no further competitors joining the battle.

The investment bank advised casino operators to ‘prepare’ for the further review of the Macau Government on gaming sector development in 2009.

Meanwhile, the Macao Daily News commentary warned that further measures to regulate Macau’s gaming sector development imposed by mainland China are on the way.

The newspaper pointed out that while restricting Guangdong residents to visit Macau can alleviate the problem of gambling addiction, it will also help in preventing market speculation, thus avoiding bubbles in the economic development.