Macau recorded 965 “gaming-related” crimes in full-year 2022, down 29.7 percent on the 1,372 identified in the previous year, according to the latest statistics published on Tuesday by the city’s Judiciary Police.
The authorities recorded a total of 33 usury cases – i.e., loan sharking – related to gambling, down 53.5 percent year-on-year, compared to 71 such instances a year earlier. In 2022, the police handled only one unlawful-detention case, as compared to 27 such cases in 2021.
A total of 86 fraud cases related to gaming was recorded in full-year 2022, down 56.1 percent year-on-year, showed the data.
The authorities said the decrease in gaming-linked crimes was mainly the result of a decline in tourist volume during 2022. The government had said such contraction was linked to a number of Covid-19 outbreaks and associated travel restrictions in neighbouring regions and in Macau.
In the crime statistics update, the police said the decrease in gaming-related crimes during the period was also “a consequence of the strengthening of the number of inspections carried out by the police” in the city’s casinos and in places adjacent to those venues.
The police also gave commentary on illicit money exchange activities that are associated with the gaming sector. It said it “intercepted” 3,500 people linked to those activities in the year to December 31.
In full-year 2022, the city’s Judiciary Police recorded an aggregate of 8,612 crimes, down 10.1 percent from the previous year.
On Tuesday, the authorities warned of a possible rise in crime in Macau this year, as the city’s economy recovers. It said online crimes have shown an overall upward trend, with the police saying they would keep a close watch on the current security situation.
In mid-January, the authorities also said that casino money change scams were a risk this year as Macau recovers. The Judiciary Police proposed collaborating with the city’s casino security and surveillance departments for a “targeted” approach to combat illicit currency exchange activities.
