Macau’s Secretary for Security, Wong Sio Chak, affirmed at a press conference on Thursday that the illicit money exchange has recorded a significant downward trend after the criminalization of the activity and several combat operations both within and outside Macau.
According to data from the Secretary for Security, after the criminalization of money exchangers in Macau at the end of October 2024, the police cracked 99 related cases and arrested 141 individuals in 2024. Among these, 89 cases were filed under the charge of “illegal currency exchange for gambling purposes.”
Local media reported that the Macau police force is relieved to see a decrease in the number of money exchangers intercepted in 2024, with a total of 3,185 individuals intercepted throughout the year. The number of interceptions decreased quarter by quarter. Crimes arising from illegal currency exchanges were still predominantly fraud-related, totaling 658 cases. The number of cases decreased from 159 in the first quarter to 131 in the fourth quarter, indicating a significant downward trend in both the number of money exchangers and associated fraud crimes, starting from the second half of 2024. This trend is attributed to the joint efforts of Macau and mainland police.
The Macau police force stated that with the increase in tourists and the recovery of the gambling industry, illegal currency exchange groups have become more active. In recent years, there has been a noticeable trend toward organized and professional operations.
Last year, the police further strengthened cooperation with mainland authorities, dismantling several illegal currency exchange crime syndicates and eradicating the underlying black and gray industries, thereby curbing the development of related crimes at their source. Additionally, the enactment of the “Law on Combating Illegal Gambling Crimes” has further reduced the operational space for illegal money exchange activities.
Gaming-related crime up in 2024
Macau’s security authorities recorded a total of 1,456 gambling-related cases in 2024, marking an increase of 349 cases compared to 2023—a rise of approximately 31.5 percent. However, the figure was 701 cases lower than in 2019, reflecting a decline of about 32.5 percent.
Among the various gambling-related crimes, fraud cases remained the most common, with 333 reported incidents accounting for roughly 22.9 percent of the total. This represents an increase of 76 cases compared to the 257 cases recorded in the previous year but a decrease of 123 cases compared to the 456 cases in 2019.
Usury (loan sharking) cases ranked second, totaling 252 incidents and making up approximately 17.3 percent of the total. This was a significant increase of 113 cases compared to the 119 cases in the previous year but a notable decrease of 350 cases compared to 2019.
Additionally, there were 202 cases of unlawful appropriation, accounting for about 13.9 percent of the total, while theft cases numbered 149, representing roughly 10.2 percent.
