Police in New Taipei raid arcade venue over illegal gambling

The venue was allegedly using modified claw machines.

Taiwan.- Police in New Taipei dismantled an alleged illegal gambling parlour operating under the façade of an arcade. Acting on a tipoff, the Yonghe Police initiated a multi-day surveillance operation. The business is accused of modifying claw machines to use them for gambling. The arcade had a concealed door that hid the modified machines, according to Channel NewsAsia (CNA).

A search warrant executed by the police resulted in the arrest of the arcade operator along with an employee. Five people allegedly engaged in gambling were also arrested. Police seized NT$230,000 (US$7,146).

The operator had equipped the claw machines with an IC board that allowed participants to partake in illegal dice games. Using a Bluetooth speaker, gamblers could convert coins into wagers equivalent to NT$700, with potential winnings ranging between NT$300 and NT$50,000.

The outcomes hinged on the dice combinations manipulated by the claw machine, with predetermined combinations such as “all red” or “all black” determining the payouts. Police seized equipment, including money-counting and coin-counting devices, a video monitor and surveillance cameras.

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