Authorities in Macau opened 760 investigations into illegal gambling-related crimes in the past judicial year, marking a sharp increase of 435 cases from the previous year, the city’s chief prosecutor said.
In a speech during the city’s judicial year opening ceremony, Prosecutor General Tong Hio Fong said the surge was mainly driven by the introduction of a new offense targeting illicit currency exchange for gambling under Law No. 20/2024, the Law to Combat Illegal Gambling Crimes.
The legislation, which came into force earlier this year, criminalizes the long-standing practice of unlicensed money changing linked to gaming activities.
Of the total number of cases, 410 inquiries were opened specifically for illegal currency exchange, Tong said in his annual report on judicial activities. The move is part of a broader crackdown on underground financial operations and unregulated intermediaries that have long operated on the fringes of the gaming sector.
The prosecutor noted that the rise in such cases reflects the authorities’ strengthened enforcement efforts following a series of reforms to Macau’s gaming industry, including tighter supervision of junket operators and stricter anti-money laundering controls.
Macau recorded 1,139 gaming-related criminal investigation cases in the first half of 2025, a 456-case increase compared to the same period last year, representing a 66.8 percent rise.
The world’s biggest casino hub has been seeking to promote a ‘cleaner and more sustainable’ gaming environment as part of its economic diversification drive and to align with the central government’s expectations for the city’s long-term development.
