• 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’s casino attack drill in first half 2018: govt

Nov 21, 2017 Newsdesk Latest News, Macau, Top of the deck  


Macau’s casino attack drill in first half 2018: govt

Macau’s Secretary for Security, Wong Sio Chak (pictured), noted to local media on Tuesday that the government hoped in the first half of 2018 to launch a “large-scale, joint contingency drill” involving local casinos and their surroundings.

“The main focus [of the drill] is how the casinos can assist the police in evacuating people from the sites, as well as the related law enforcement work. And this is also to test how the government can cope with emergency incidents speedily,” said Mr Wong in comments to reporters on the sidelines of a crime statistics briefing.

An official later clarified to GGRAsia that the scope of the drill procedure, and how many venues might be involved, was still to be determined.

A joint press statement issued on October 16 by the Judiciary Police and the local casino regulator, the Gaming Inspection and Coordination Bureau, said they had met representatives from the six casino operators to learn what measures the firms were taking in light of a “gunman attack and arson” in the Philippines in June and the shootings on the Las Vegas Strip in the U.S. in early October.

The Macau authorities’ October 16 statement noted the city’s six casino operators had agreed to work with the city’s Judiciary Police regarding how to tackle simulated “attack” on the city’s gaming sector.

“In this drill, we’ll see the participation of the Judiciary Police, Public Security Police and the Police Tactical Intervention Unit,” Mr Wong noted to the media on Tuesday, referring latterly to a local and specialist law enforcement unit. “The Fire Services Bureau, and possibly the Health Bureau and Social Affairs Bureau, will also take part in the drill,” Mr Wong further stated.

The Macau authorities’ October 16 notice had said each of the city’s casino operators had been asked to set up a “special action team”, with access to “protective equipment” and that such teams would act as first responders to any incident before the arrival of the city’s public security services.

In his comments to reporters on Tuesday, Mr Wong clarified that each casino licensee’s “special action team” would not be authorised to carry firearms.

Mr Wong said, in response to a GGRAsia question on the topic: “Of course, the phrase ‘special action team’ makes it sound like it [the team] has certain law enforcement power. But according to Macau law, the security personnel of casinos and the management staff do not have the law enforcement power that the police have.”

“So when you ask whether this team can carry guns, for instance, this is a matter that is still too early to say… but in future, when there are any new dynamics to the issue, we’ll announce [updates] to the public,” the Secretary added.

Crime figures

During the Tuesday briefing, the city’s police services also gave an update on the number of gaming-related incidents officially recorded in the third quarter and in the first nine months of this year.

For the January to September period, the Judiciary Police – the service tasked with criminal investigation in casinos – recorded a total of 339 incidences of suspected unlawful detention thought to be linked to loan-sharking operations targeting casino gamblers. That was a 2.9 percent year-on-year decrease, according to the police figures.

There were 318 reports of suspected loan-sharking targeting gamblers in the first nine months this year, down 8.6 percent from the 348 recorded in the prior-year period.

During the first nine months of this year, the Judiciary Police opened a total of 1,323 gaming-related crime cases – a number inclusive of launched investigations and reports made to the force. The tally represented a 1.9-percent year-on-year rise.

In the third quarter only, there were 133 reports of usury – a year-on-year rise of 15.7 percent on the 115 recorded in the prior-year quarter. In the three months to September 30 there were 108 reports of gaming-related unlawful detention, down 18.8 percent from the 133 incidences recorded in the prior-year reporting time.

“Most of these two [categories of] crimes took place inside casinos, and there is no sign that these crimes have spread outside casinos,” said Mr Wong during the briefing.

The Secretary also noted that the police services had not so far this year received any intelligence of what he termed “irregularities” in the city’s casinos that could somehow be linked to activity by “triads” – understood to be a reference to Chinese organised crime groups.


  • tweet
Related articles
  • Macau ops getting overseas visitors via private jets: report
    Macau ops getting overseas visitors via...

    Mar 21, 2023  

  • Macau-Hengqin visa combo can aid tourism: trade rep
    Macau-Hengqin visa combo can aid...

    Mar 13, 2023  

More news
  • Pagcor pledges offshore bet integrity amid call for POGO ban
    Pagcor pledges offshore bet integrity...

    Mar 30, 2023  

  • Vietnam 1Q foreigner arrivals a third of entire 2023 target
    Vietnam 1Q foreigner arrivals a third...

    Mar 30, 2023  


Latest News

Pagcor pledges offshore bet integrity amid call for POGO ban

Pagcor pledges offshore bet integrity amid call for POGO ban

Mar 30, 2023  

The Philippine gaming regulator has reiterated its “firm commitment to uphold the integrity of the gaming industry in the Philippines, including offshore gaming”. The statement was issued...
Read More
Vietnam 1Q foreigner arrivals a third of entire 2023 target

Vietnam 1Q foreigner arrivals a third of entire 2023 target

Mar 30, 2023  

Payment behaviour may help spot at-risk gamblers: study

Payment behaviour may help spot at-risk gamblers: study

Mar 30, 2023  

Sign up to our FREE Newsletter

UB8V5.qr.16(Click here for more)

Pick of the Day


US$4.5 billion

Pagcor's estimates for industry-wide gross gaming revenue in 2023



Most Popular

  • Sands China ups ties to China showbiz giant Star CMSands China ups ties to China showbiz giant Star CM March 29, 2023
  • Suntrust confirms casino hotel 2024 opening on trackSuntrust confirms casino hotel 2024 opening on track March 29, 2023
  • Japan govt delays IR decision due to local elections: reportJapan govt delays IR decision due to local elections: report March 30, 2023
  • GEN Singapore boss flags uneven recovery pace in 2023GEN Singapore boss flags uneven recovery pace in 2023 March 28, 2023
  • Macau got 16k mainland package tourists in Feb reopeningMacau got 16k mainland package tourists in Feb reopening March 29, 2023
Copyright 2014-2023 TEAM Publishing and Consultancy Ltd / All rights reserved
  • Code of Ethics
  • Privacy Policy
  • Useful Links
  • Contact Us