The Macau Association Of Gaming And Entertainment Promoters has reportedly established a central database that is capable of tracking the credit issued by local junket operators to individual players.

According to a report from GGRAsia, the revelation came from Kwok Chi Chung, President of the Macau Association Of Gaming And Entertainment Promoters, on Tuesday with the system now awaiting approval by the government of Macau before being officially launched.

“We’re in the process of presenting the credit database to the Office For Personal Data Protection,” Kwok told GGRAsia. “During the setting up of this database, we’ve been communicating with the Office [For Personal Data Protection] and it knows how our system operates.”

Kwok reportedly explained that the main function of the database will be to help gaming promoters identify VIP players that may hold outstanding debt related to credit extended by junket operators in Macau. He declared that he is confident the innovation will comply with the former Portuguese enclave’s personal data protection rules and could be launched as soon as January.

“We are also communicating with the Gaming Inspection And Coordination Bureau regarding the use of this database,” Kwok told GGRAsia. “The [Gaming Inspection And Coordination ] Bureau’s response has been supportive so far.”

Paulo Martins Chan, Director for the Gaming Inspection And Coordination Bureau, reportedly told GGRAsia in May that there was no schedule for the introduction of such a credit database.

“We first need to achieve a consensus [with the industry],” said Chan. “Then we need to meet with the Office For Personal Data Protection [to discuss the matter]. After that comes the law drafting stage. Therefore, I think it will take some time.”

To comply with Macau’s strict personal data protection rules, Kwok reportedly detailed that high rollers will be asked to sign an authorization form when applying for credit from junket operators that will allow their details to be stored in the database. Access to this information is then to be limited to members of the Macau Association Of Gaming And Entertainment Promoters such as Suncity Group Limited, Tak Chun Group, and Guangdong Group (Macau) Limited.

“The more junket firms use the database, the better the shared intelligence to prevent bad debt,” Kwok told GGRAsia. “Our association will encourage junket firms to become a member of our group to have access and use the database. Basically, staff from a junket firm can use the system to check the credit history of a particular client. But the system is designed so that users cannot steal client information from other junket firms.”