The number of Suspicious Transaction Reports (STRs) issued by Macau’s gaming operators increased by 170% year-on-year to 2,335 in the nine months to 30 September 2023, up from 866 in the prior year period, according to data from the Financial Intelligence Office.
There was also a 18.3% increase in STRs in the September 2023 quarter when compared to the June 2023 quarter, reflecting the continued increase in visitor arrivals and business volumes since the easing of border restrictions in January. The September quarter saw 943 STRs compared with 797 in Q2 and 595 in Q1.
The rise in gaming industry STRs resulted in Macau-wide STRs – which also takes into account Financial Institutions and Insurance Companies, and “Other Institutions” – climb by 1,501 or 89.5% to 3,178 for the first nine months of the year. That’s despite Financial Institutions and Insurance Companies reporting just six more STRs compared with the same period last year at 617 and other institutions a 13% increase to 226 STRs.
The Financial Intelligence Office said STRs from gaming operators represented 73.5% of all STRs through September, up from 51.6% a year earlier.
