HONG KONG: Macau has stepped up entry restrictions on visitors from mainland China, the government said Thursday in the latest sign that it is trying to cool spiralling growth in the gaming haven.

The government said it was introducing the measures as some visa policies had been "abused" in the past.

From August 1, Chinese passport holders who have permission to visit Macau before heading on to a third destination will only be allowed to stay for seven days, instead of 14, the city's Public Security Forces Affairs department said in a statement.

Those who return to China without proceeding to a third destination will only be allowed a two-day stay if they apply using the same method again. If they fail to move on the second time, any future application will be refused.

In addition, from September 1 mainland residents who hold entry-exit permits for travelling to and from Macau and Hong Kong, will no longer be able to enter the former Portuguese colony from Hong Kong.

The new measures are being introduced to "better regulate the flow of mainland visitors," the government said.

Macau, the only place in China where casino gaming is legal, has boomed in recent years mainly on the back of Chinese visitors who have flooded into the city's gleaming casinos.

However, Chinese authorities are uneasy about corrupt local officials laundering their cash in Macau, the rise of problem gambling and whether profits are being sucked up by US gaming giants.

The casino boom has also put pressure on the social fabric of Macau, which has a population of just 550,000, with many complaining they have been left behind in the goldrush.

The city's chief executive, Edmund Ho, earlier this year announced a moratorium on new casinos to try and cool the spectacular growth.

- AFP/yb