Macau’s Secretary for Security, Wong Sio Chak, said Monday there were a total of 9,653 criminal activities in the SAR between 1 January and 30 September 2023 of which 716 were gaming related.
He also revealed that gaming-related crimes were up 176% year-on-year compared with a 31.7% increase for all crimes combined. Gaming-related crime was, however, down 55.2% compared with the same period in 2019.
Like other gambling places in the world, Macau become in a visitor´s destination.
“At present, telecommunication network fraud has become the fastest growing type of crime in Macau and its neighboring regions.”
According to Wong, the 716 gaming-related cases included 155 cases involving fraud – an increase of 90 cases or 139% year-on-year – and 129 cases of theft in casinos, an increase of 107 cases or 486% year-on-year.
The nine-month period also saw police intercept 9,633 “money exchange gang member”, an increase of 230% year-on-year, while the number of fraud cases involving “money changers” rose to 137.
Noting discussions earlier this year about the possible criminalization by Macau authorities of illicit money exchange activities around the city’s casinos, Wong said, “In order to further curb money exchange gang members and increase the cost of their offences, the relevant laws on illegal money exchange activities will be filled in and the penalties will be improved.
“Following in-depth research, the Judiciary Police has submitted a proposal on the feasibility of criminalizing illegal money exchange activities to the legal department. It is hoped this will increase the cost of their crimes and enhance the police’s efficiency in law enforcement.”
Gov’t to bring stricter penalties for illicit gaming practices.
The bill prohibits the operation, promotion, and organisation of online gambling and mutual betting, regardless of whether the systems and devices involved are located in Macau.
The draft of the ‘Law on Combating Illegal Gambling Crimes’, which is set to replace the current Illegal Gambling Law (Law 8/96/m), will reach the Legislative Assembly for review, Director of the Legal Affairs Bureau Leong Weng In announced on Monday.
During an Executive Council press conference on Monday, Leong said that the bill proposes penalties for offences associated with illegal gambling, which are currently capped at a maximum of three years, to be revised to range between one and eight years.
