Gaming-related crimes in Macau up 178.6% in first nine months of the year

Macau registered 716 gaming-related crimes in the first nine months of 2023.

Macau.- The secretary for security, Wong Sio Chak, has reported that gaming-related crimes rose 178.6 per cent year-on-year during the first nine months of the year to 716 cases. However, the figure is 55.2 per cent lower than the same period in 2019.

The rise is due to the low number in 2022 as a result of Covid-19 countermeasures. The most prevalent gaming-related crimes were scams and thefts, with 155 suspected scams (up 138.5 per cent from last year but down 46.7 per cent from 2019) and 129 thefts (up 486.4 per cent from last year but down 12.8 per cent from 2019).

Police investigated 67 suspected gaming-related usury cases (up 168 per cent from last year but down 85.8 per cent from 2019) and 12 gaming-related kidnappings (compared to one in 2022 and down 95.6 per cent from 2019).

Wong emphasised the declining trend when compared to pre-pandemic levels. However, at Monday’s briefing, he highlighted antisocial activity associated with touts offering unauthorised money changing in casinos. The topic was mentioned last month during a presentation at the city’s Legislative Assembly.

Police identified 137 suspected scam cases related to unlicensed money changing in the first nine months. Wong said the Judiciary Police have conducted an “in-depth” study into the possibility of criminalising unauthorised money exchange activities. Macau’s secretary for Administration and Justice, André Cheong Weng Chon, noted ongoing government efforts to address unlicensed money trade.