• About Us
  • The Team
  • Advertise with Us

The latest news on the gaming industry in Asia

() () () () () () () () () () () () () () () () () () () () () () () () () () () () () () () () () () () () () () () () () () () () () () () () () () () () () () () () () () () () () () () () () () () () () () () () () () () () () () () () () ()
  • Home
  • Macau
  • Philippines
  • Singapore
  • Japan
  • Rest of Asia
  • World
  • Industry Talk
  • Trends & Tech
  • iGaming
  • follow
    • Facebook
    • Twitter
    • RSS Feed
    • LinkedIn

Macau gaming suspect transaction reports up 10pct in 2021

Jan 13, 2022 Newsdesk Latest News, Macau, Top of the deck  


Macau gaming suspect transaction reports up 10pct in 2021

The number of suspicious transaction reports filed by Macau gaming operators went up 9.5 percent year-on-year in 2021, according to data released on Wednesday by the city’s Financial Intelligence Office.

Such reports rose to 1,330, from 1,215 instances in 2020.

Macau’s casino gross gaming revenue grew 43.7 percent year-on-year in full-year 2021, according to data released by the city’s government on January 1. Investment analysts attributed the annual improvement to easing of travel conditions between Macau and mainland China, the only place currently to have a largely quarantine-free travel arrangement with the gaming hub.

The total number of suspicious transaction reports received by Macau’s Financial Intelligence Office across all sectors in 2021 was 2,435, up 9.5 percent on the 2,224 lodged in 2020.

A spokesperson from the Office told GGRAsia that last year’s increase in the number of suspicious transaction reports filed by gaming operators was “in line with the overall percentual increase in the total number of suspicious transaction reports received for 2021.”

The person added that the number of suspicious transaction reports submitted by the gaming sector had been “gradually recovering towards the pre Covid-19 level”, in tandem with the “gradual recovery in the overall level of gaming transactions”.

The Financial Intelligence Office representative said that “variations in the number of suspicious transaction reports submitted by the gaming sector over the years may be due to various reasons, including but not limited to increase in awareness and enhancement of internal control measures by gaming operators.”

Gaming operator-generated suspicious transaction reports for 2021, accounted for 54.6 percent of the annual total recorded by the Financial Intelligence Office, the same proportion as in 2020. Reports from financial institutions and insurance firms made up 32.6 percent, a slightly greater weighting than the 30.4 percent seen in 2020. Reports from “other institutions” accounted for 12.8 percent of the 2021 total, compared to 15.0 percent of the total in 2020.

The city’s casinos are required to report to the local government any transaction of MOP500,000 (US$62,600) or above, although that does not mean that such a transaction will be flagged as suspicious.


  • tweet
Related articles
  • Macau 2023 casino STRs may reach 2019 level: govt
    Macau 2023 casino STRs may reach 2019...

    Aug 03, 2023  

  • Casino STRs more than double y-o-y in Macau for 1H
    Casino STRs more than double y-o-y in...

    Jul 10, 2023  

More news
  • Macau govt sets junket cap per casino operator for 2024
    Macau govt sets junket cap per casino...

    Sep 25, 2023  

  • Sands China partners with Kakao Pay to lure S.Korean visitors
    Sands China partners with Kakao Pay to...

    Sep 25, 2023  


Latest News

Macau govt sets junket cap per casino operator for 2024

Macau govt sets junket cap per casino operator for 2024

Sep 25, 2023  

The Macau government has made public the maximum number of licensed gaming promoters – also known as ‘junkets’ – that each of the city’s casino operator will be able to work with in...
Read More
Sands China partners with Kakao Pay to lure S.Korean visitors

Sands China partners with Kakao Pay to lure S.Korean...

Sep 25, 2023  

Wynn Macau Ltd cancels K-pop festival scheduled for Oct

Wynn Macau Ltd cancels K-pop festival scheduled for Oct

Sep 25, 2023  

Sign up to our FREE Newsletter

UB8V5.qr.16(Click here for more)

Pick of the Day

"We [estimate] that these illegal [currency exchange] transactions account for somewhere between 50 percent to 60 percent [of Macau's annual gross gaming revenue]”

Ben Lee

Managing partner at IGamiX Management and Consulting



Most Popular

  • Any Macau clamp on money changing may hurt GGR: punditsAny Macau clamp on money changing may hurt GGR: pundits September 25, 2023
  • Macau govt sets junket cap per casino operator for 2024Macau govt sets junket cap per casino operator for 2024 September 25, 2023
  • Wynn Macau Ltd cancels K-pop festival scheduled for OctWynn Macau Ltd cancels K-pop festival scheduled for Oct September 25, 2023
  • Strong Macau hotel bookings for autumn Golden WeekStrong Macau hotel bookings for autumn Golden Week September 22, 2023
Copyright 2014-2023 TEAM Publishing and Consultancy Ltd / All rights reserved
  • Code of Ethics
  • Privacy Policy
  • Useful Links
  • Contact Us