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The Macau Judiciary Police say they recorded 2,314 gaming-related investigations and reported cases in 2025, a jump of 62.6% year on year. The figures were disclosed during the Judiciary Police annual briefing.
Police were clear about why the number rose so sharply. They said part of the increase reflects a legal change that criminalised illegal money exchange linked to gambling. They also pointed to improved statistical reporting methods that now capture more activity in the official count.
While the overall case count climbed, two serious categories moved in the opposite direction.
Illegal gambling loans fell to 192 cases in 2025, down 23.8% year on year. Detention or confinement cases linked to gambling dropped to 28, down 40.4%. Police described serious and organised gaming-linked crime as continuing a downward trend.
So the total number is higher. But the pattern suggests the most harmful forms are not the main driver of the increase. The spike is heavily tied to financial offences and enforcement focus.
The Anti-Illegal Gambling Crime Law is now the main tool, and police say it is working
Judiciary Police Director Sit Chong Meng pointed to the Anti-Illegal Gambling Crime Law, implemented in late October 2024, as a major reason enforcement has accelerated. He said the law gave police stronger tools to go after illegal gambling-related money exchange networks that operate around casinos and tourist flows.
He also said cooperation and information sharing with mainland Chinese law enforcement has been strengthened to sharpen intelligence and target these networks more effectively.
The money exchange crackdown has produced big numbers: 567 cases, 867 suspects, HK$94 million seized
From the law’s implementation through December 2025, police said they cracked 567 cases linked to illegal money exchange for gambling. That total includes 492 direct money exchange cases and 75 related offences.
Over the same period, police said they arrested 867 suspects. They also reported seizing HK$94 million in cash and casino chips, roughly US$12.04 million.
Macau has worked hard to rebuild the gaming market under tighter controls. These figures show the other side of that effort. As volumes rise and visitor flows normalise, the pressure points return. Money exchange networks adapt. Police respond. And the compliance expectations on operators only get heavier.
The Judiciary Police also warned that as enforcement intensifies, illegal exchangers are becoming more covert and sophisticated, including disguising operations as legitimate retail activity.
Source: Asia Gaming Brief
