Macau’s Judiciary Police recorded 2,314 gaming-related criminal investigations and reported cases in 2025, representing a year-on-year increase of 62.6 percent.
The significant increase was mainly driven by the inclusion of illegal money exchange linked to gambling as a criminal offense and improvements in statistical reporting methods.
The figures were released on Thursday during the Judiciary Police’s annual briefing, where officials outlined law enforcement performance over the past year.
According to official data, cases involving illegal gambling loans totaled 192 in 2025, down 23.8 percent from the previous year, while gambling-related detention and confinement cases fell 40.4 percent to 28. Serious and organized crimes linked to gaming activities continued to show a downward trend in incidence.
Judiciary Police Director Sit Chong Meng said the implementation of the Anti-Illegal Gambling Crime Law in late October 2024 provided new enforcement tools for authorities. He added that the bureau has strengthened cooperation and information sharing with mainland Chinese law enforcement agencies to improve intelligence gathering and target criminal networks more precisely.
From the law’s implementation through December 2025, police cracked 567 cases involving illegal money exchange for gambling, including 492 direct exchange cases and 75 related offenses. A total of 867 suspects were arrested, and more than HK$94 million ($12.04 million) in cash and casino chips were seized. Authorities also dismantled several underground banking and currency exchange syndicates in cooperation with mainland Chinese counterparts.
Officials noted that intensified enforcement has pushed “money exchangers” to adopt more covert and sophisticated methods. Police said they are closely monitoring emerging trends, including illegal exchange activities disguised as legitimate retail operations. The bureau has also continued to work with gaming concessionaires to conduct legal awareness campaigns targeting visitors.
Beyond gaming-related crimes, the Judiciary Police reported handling 14,308 cases of various types in 2025, up 1.8 percent year on year. A total of 6,916 investigations were opened, down 10.9 percent, while completed cases rose 22.3 percent to 15,718. Nearly 4,000 suspects were referred to judicial authorities.
Meanwhile, telecom and online fraud cases continued to decline, although total financial losses rose to MOP300 million ($37.45 million), nearing peak levels recorded in 2023.
