Macau reports 2,717 gaming-related crimes in 2023

The figure was half of 2019 levels.

Macau.- Authorities in Macau have reported that gaming-related crimes rose 181 per cent year-on-year to 2,717 in 2023. However, the figure was 50 per cent lower than in 2019. Sit Chong Meng, director of the Judiciary Police, said loansharking and related detention cases were down by 80.2 per cent and 90.4 per cent respectively, compared to 2019 while illicit gambling and money laundering had all but disappeared.

There were 119 cases of loan sharking related to gambling activities, up 261 per cent from 33 in 2022. There were 257 fraud cases, up 199 per cent.

An increase from 2022 was expected since Macau remained closed to tourism in that year due to Covid-19 countermeasures.

See also: Macau: suspicious gaming transactions reach a new record high in 2023