In response to the criminalization of money exchange gangs, which came into effect in October 2024, there were 567 gaming crimes in Macau in the first quarter of 2025, representing an increase of 216 cases or 61.5% over the same period in 2024.
Among the various types of gaming-related crimes in the first quarter of the year were 152 fraud cases, accounting for 26.8% of the total, followed by 132 cases of “unlawful exchange” accounting for 23.3% of the total. There were also 51 cases of loansharking, accounting for 9% of the total.
The Secretary for Security pointed out that the 132 cases of “unlawful exchange” in the first quarter accounted for more than 60% of the year-on-year increase in the number of new gaming-related offences, which is believed to be the main reason for the increase in the number of related crimes.
