Macao's Public Security Forces, in a report on the impact of the gambling industry on public order in the first half of 2024, said police in Macao, mainland China and Hong Kong carried out a joint operation codenamed "破峰" (Breaking Peak) on June 29, 2024, dismantling a cross-border online illegal gambling syndicate whose members were spread across the three places1.
The operation followed long-term intelligence sharing and separate investigations by the Guangdong, Macao and Hong Kong police1. Macao arrested more than 50 members, including the group's leader, while mainland and Hong Kong police arrested more than 40 people, bringing the total to over 901. The total amount involved exceeded MOP 1 billion1.
"粵港澳警方透過長期情報互通及各自偵查，鎖定一個成員分佈於三地的跨境網絡不法賭博集團，並於今年6月29日同步採取代號"破峰"的聯合行動，成功瓦解該犯罪集團"
The report also described a separate three-party mechanism set up in 2022 by the Judiciary Police, the Gaming Inspection and Coordination Bureau and gaming operators to target illegal gambling websites impersonating Macao gaming companies1. Through that mechanism, more than 36,000 related websites were blocked in the first half of 20241.
The same report gave broader figures for gambling-related crime in Macao in the first half of 2024. Special investigations totaled 683 cases, up 261 cases or 61.8 percent from the same period in 2023, and down 285 cases or 29.4 percent from the same period in 20191. Fraud was the largest category at 159 cases, followed by usury ("high-interest lending") at 122 cases, unlawful appropriation at 95 cases, theft at 80 cases and violation of casino entry bans at 54 cases1.
| Offense type | H1 2024 | H1 2023 | Change | H1 2019 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Total gambling-related cases | 683 | 422 | +261 (+61.8%) | 968 | -285 (-29.4%) |
| Fraud | 159 | 95 | +64 (+67.4%) | 152 | +7 (+4.6%) |
| Usury | 122 | 31 | +91 (+293.5%) | 295 | -173 (-58.6%) |
| Unlawful appropriation | 95 | 50 | +45 (+90.0%) | 65 | +30 (+46.2%) |
| Theft | 80 | 77 | +3 (+3.9%) | 96 | -16 (-16.7%) |
| Violation of entry ban | 54 | 56 | -2 (-3.6%) | 47 | +7 (+14.9%) |
Suspects in gambling-related cases in the first half of 2024 included 123 Macao residents, 639 mainland residents, 44 Hong Kong residents, 4 Taiwan residents and 16 foreign nationals, a ratio of local to non-local of about 1 to 5.71. Victims included 71 Macao residents, 420 mainland residents, 40 Hong Kong residents, 5 Taiwan residents and 8 foreign nationals, a ratio of about 1 to 6.71.
What it means for players
The operation targeted an online syndicate rather than a land-based venue, and the report does not say which sites or platforms were involved, or whether any players were among those arrested1. The report does not state the nationalities of the 90-plus people detained, or what charges they face1.
The report says illegal gambling websites frequently impersonate Macao gaming companies, harming public property safety and the image of the local industry1. It does not name any of the impersonated companies or the blocked sites1.
For players in Macao, the report's figures show gambling-related investigations rising year on year but still below 2019 levels, with suspects and victims mostly non-local1. The report does not describe any change to the legal position of players who use offshore sites1.
What happens next
The report does not set out next steps for the "破峰" case, such as charges, prosecutions or further arrests1. It says police will continue to monitor gambling-related public order, adjust strategies and deployments as needed, and keep working with the Gaming Inspection and Coordination Bureau, gaming operators and outside police departments against illegal gambling sites1. It also says the Judiciary Police and Public Security Police detained 2,215 "money exchange gang" operators in the first half of 2024, deported and banned 2,072 non-Macao residents not involved in criminal cases, and reported 1,540 people to the Gaming Inspection and Coordination Bureau for casino entry bans1.
Sources1 sources
- Producer: Microsoft: Print To PDF, gss.gov.mo
