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"Macau has been working to ensure control over its gambling industry. According to a tracking of Suspicious Transaction Reports (STRs), there was a 13.4% year-on-year decrease in such incidents to 1,677 during the first nine months of 2022. This decrease is to some extent related to a reduction in suspicious transaction reports due to the instability in the gambling industry caused by closures and recoveries.
The Financial Intelligence Office indicated that during the investigation period, the number of signals issued by casino operators decreased by 15.5% to 866. Nevertheless, the gaming sector continues to generate a significant number of suspicious transaction reports, accounting for 51.6% of all such report signals. Financial institutions reported an additional 429 suspicious transaction reports during the investigation period.
In August of the previous year, the Director of the Macau Security Bureau announced a significant decrease in the number of crimes related to gambling in the first half of 2022. The Director reported a 56% decrease in casino fraud cases, with a total of 54 cases in the first half of the year. Additionally, there were 13 cases involving thefts that occurred within casino premises, and one murder case was listed. Overall, the police arrested 2,725 individuals, categorizing them as illegal currency exchangers. However, the overall crime count significantly decreased during this period, down by 45% compared to the first half of 2021.
Macau has also taken extensive actions against gambling intermediaries, strictly limiting their numbers over the past year in response to a commitment to safeguard its citizens. Macau is also undergoing rapid reforms in its gambling regulations, with licensed operators looking to update their licenses and facing a series of new eligibility requirements." |
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