Macau arrests eight gamblers after violent casino quarrel
Eight Chinese gamblers were arrested after an altercation at a Macau casino.
Macau.- Eight gamblers from mainland China have been arrested by Macau Judiciary Police (PJ) following a quarrel on a casino floor. A video of the fight quickly went viral on social media.
The incident occurred at 1.45am on Monday (May 1) when a dispute between two gamblers over betting at a gaming table quickly escalated when their friends became involved, leading to a physical altercation between the two groups. One individual sustained minor injuries and required treatment in hospital.
Macau’s secretary for security, Wong Sio Chak, has confirmed that Macau authorities have suggested banning all eight suspects from entering Macau’s casinos and from entering the territory at all, stating that the incident had badly affected Macau’s image.
Macau has been trying to promote a more family-friendly image, targeting a wider audience beyond high rollers. The territory is keen to attract visitors interested in non-gaming attractions, such as shows, concerts, and exhibitions.
The Public Security Police (PSP), has reported that 353,930 visitors arrived in Macau in the first three days of the April 29 to May 3 Labour Day holiday period. That makes an average daily figure of 117,976. Arrivals on May 1 were 60 per cent of pre-pandemic figures.
Analysts at Credit Suisse have predicted daily gross gaming revenue (GGR) of up to MOP750m (US$92.8m) for the holiday period.
