Macau casino hit by counterfeit chip scam

Two people have been arrested for chip fraud while six are still on the run.

Macau.- An unnamed Cotai-based casino has reportedly suffered a loss of approximately HK$5.7m (US$723,743) due to a chip fraud. According to local Chinese-language media outlets citing information from the Judiciary Police, 493 chips, each carrying a nominal value of HK$10,000 were exchanged with unsuspecting casino patrons who then unknowingly used the counterfeit chips.

Authorities say it’s possible that the fraud was larger than initial estimates. Initial findings point to the involvement of eight people, with two having been apprehended at the casino. The remaining six suspects are believed to have fled Macau to mainland China’s Guangdong province.

The scam came to light when a table games dealer detected an unusual texture on certain chips. Subsequent investigations revealed that they lacked authentic identification tags, leading the casino to electronically verify their authenticity. The inquiry led to the confiscation of a total of 804 counterfeit chips, as law enforcement authorities remain vigilant.