After a 16 year old girl won a $120,000 jackpot on a slot machine, Macau's casino authority has made the penalties for allowing anyone underage into the casinos.
The girl was playing a slot machine and won the jackpot, the casino refused to pay her because for a minor to gamble is illegal, but eventually the casino gave in after the family got involved and said that if she can not gamble then the casino must return her money.
Eventually the Gaming Inspection and Coordinating Board got involved and forced the casino to pay the girls mother.
The casinos favor the stiffer penalties for allowing underage gambling in the casinos and many hope the harsher penalties will help curb the Wild West images from these casinos.
The casinos in Macau are fighting for the number one gambling city in the world. Because the city is still trying to shrug off its image as a gambling city run by underworld types like Las Vegas was in the 50's, and just as Vegas did they are trying to make their city more then just a gambling city they are trying to make it a full service entertainment resort city catering to everyone.
Macau is the only region in china that has legal gambling, making it a very popular vacation spot.