Macau’s Secretary for Security, Chan Tsz King, said illegal live-stream proxy betting inside casinos remains “under control,” crediting close cooperation from gaming operators and the swift response of on-site police whenever early signs of such activity emerge.
Speaking at a crime statistics briefing on July 16th, Chan said the recently uncovered cases of proxy betting, in which casino table games are live-streamed so that gamblers outside Macau can place bets remotely, were mostly isolated incidents, and the Judiciary Police will continue to investigate in depth.
Echoing the security chief’s stance, the Gaming Inspection and Coordination Bureau (DICJ) met representatives of the six gaming concessionaires on July 14th to strengthen prevention and reporting mechanisms against proxy betting, noting that technological advances are making illegal betting methods increasingly covert.
According to a press release issued by the DICJ, operators shared their existing countermeasures at the meeting, including surveillance equipment, stepped-up patrols, staff training, identification guidelines and reporting incentive schemes.
The regulator said it will maintain close communication with law enforcement and concessionaires through regular exchanges and information sharing to safeguard the ‘healthy and orderly development’ of Macau’s gaming industry.
Hidden phone, smartwatch used in latest case
The latest case came to light a day before Chan’s remarks, when police arrested a 42-year-old mainland Chinese man at a casino in the NAPE district for allegedly wearing modified clothing concealing a phone to live-stream baccarat games. The suspect allegedly placed RMB163,200 ($22,800) in bets on behalf of online gamblers in mainland China, receiving instructions through a Bluetooth earpiece and a smartwatch, and earned HK$1,400 ($180) in illicit profit.
Police seized the modified garment, two phones, a Bluetooth earpiece and receiver, a smartwatch, a casino membership card, HK$114,000 ($14,600) in chips and about HK$10,000 ($1,280) in cash. The man faces charges of illegally operating online gaming and has been referred to prosecutors.
Gaming-related crime up 12.2% in first half
Overall, police recorded 1,278 gaming-related criminal cases in the first six months of 2026, an increase of 139 cases, or 12.2 percent, from a year earlier. Illegal money exchange for gambling accounted for 259 cases, up 7.9 percent. In contrast, illegal gambling-related loansharking and associated unlawful detention cases fell 13.9 percent and 53.8 percent, to 87 and 6 cases respectively.
Judiciary Police Director Sit Chong Meng said fraud inside casinos is essentially linked to illegal money-changing gangs. Since 2024, the bureau has conducted year-round joint operations with mainland public security authorities targeting the underground banks and money laundering behind these groups, dismantling two major syndicates over the past two years.
In the first half of 2026, police cracked around 250 illegal money exchange cases, arrested 322 money changers and seized more than HK$16 million ($2.05 million) in cash and chips, Sit said, adding that the bureau will step up monitoring together with the six casino operators.
