Macau recorded 1,951 gaming-related crimes in the first nine months of 2026, representing a 12.3% year-on-year increase and driven by increases in fraud and illegal money exchange for gambling purposes.
According to the latest statistics released by the city’s Office of the Secretary for Security, the January to September tally rose from 1,737 cases in the same period last year, with fraud remaining the largest category of gaming-related crime.
Police recorded 558 gaming-related fraud cases, up 21.3% year-on-year and accounting for 28.6% of the total. The 98 additional cases represented almost half of the overall increase in gaming-related crime.
Unlicensed money exchange for gambling purposes was the second-largest category, with 404 cases, up 11.9% year-on-year. The activity was criminalized in Macau in October 2024.
By contrast, cases involving illegal lending for gambling purposes fell 12.6% to 132. Related unlawful detention cases declined 57.1% to nine, while cases involving breaches of casino-entry bans dropped 42.2% to 63.
Gaming-related assault cases increased 26.6% year-on-year to 81.
The increase in gaming-related crime came despite a decline in Macau’s overall crime tally. The security authorities said serious violent crime remained at low levels, while telecommunications and online fraud, computer crime, theft and drug-related offenses decreased.
The authorities nevertheless identified gaming-related illegal activity as an area requiring continued attention, pledging to strengthen preventive measures, interdepartmental cooperation and the use of technology to support policing.
The latest report also highlighted a July investigation into a suspected criminal operation allegedly involving security personnel at a Cotai casino.
Macau’s Judiciary Police arrested 15 alleged key members of the group, including its suspected ringleader, in connection with suspected offenses including organized crime, extortion and coercion.
The group allegedly profited by identifying individuals suspected of wrongdoing inside the casino and then offering not to report them to police in exchange for cash.
Macau’s Public Prosecution Office subsequently took over the case, with five defendants, including the alleged ringleader, placed in pre-trial detention, according to a 5 September update.
Separately, the Judiciary Police worked with the gaming industry to shut down more than 77,000 illegal gambling websites during the first nine months of the year through an established cooperation mechanism.
The security authorities said they would continue to strengthen intelligence sharing across government departments and jurisdictions to combat cross-border crime and respond to changes in Macau’s public security environment.
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