A large-scale illegal gambling operation in an apartment in the NAPE area of Macau has been busted by authorities, following which 10 individuals were arrested, including the alleged operator, an employee, and eight gamblers. The Judiciary Police (PJ) conducted the raid on 14 March after receiving a tip-off.

The police officers seized two poker tables, a poker machine, a large number of chips, and multiple decks of playing cards. During the operation, seven individuals were found actively playing poker, while another suspect, who claimed to be a bystander, was also taken into custody.

According to a Judiciary Police (PJ) spokesperson Chau Ting Kim, the gambling den had been operating from an apartment rented for HKD13,000 (MOP13,377/US$1,673) per month since August last year.

The alleged operator, a 37-year-old businessman surnamed Chan, admitted to running the illegal business. He disclosed that he earned a 5% commission from each game and hired a 43-year-old former croupier at a daily wage of MOP500. Authorities estimate his daily profits ranged between MOP4,000 and MOP5,000, accumulating to approximately MOP400,000 since the business started.

The eight gamblers, all Macau residents aged between 30 and 46, informed the police that they learned about the venue through messaging apps.

The raid follows the enforcement of stricter anti-gambling laws introduced in October 2024, targeting unauthorised gambling practices, including currency exchange via unofficial channels. Under these new regulations, those caught engaging in illegal gambling face up to six months in prison, while street money touts could be jailed for up to five years. Illegal gambling operators risk sentences of one to eight years.

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