Macau police bust live-streaming gambling ring, 3 arrested
Three mainland Chinese men aged between 29 and 35 were arrested in a police raid on a VIP gaming room in Macau’s Cotai city on Wednesday (5 February 2025). One of the accused was identified as a key member of a criminal syndicate involved in illegal gambling. Police believe more than 10 individuals are still at large.
During the raid, the unearthed an illegal gambling operation involving mobile phones used to secretly live-stream VIP room gambling sessions. The operation is linked to a mainland criminal group that recruited gamblers for “under-the-table” betting through WeChat groups.
Police seized multiple mobile phones, miniature earpieces used for live streaming, HK$344,000 ($44,185) in gambling chips, and HK$600,000 ($77,067) in cash. Some of the arrested suspects refused to cooperate with the investigation.
Since August last year, the group carried out at least 11 illegal gambling operations. While bets placed on gaming tables totalled around HK$790,000 ($101,472), hidden bets were much higher, reaching about HK$5.36 million ($688,500).
According to the police, the group used advanced technology to live-stream the gambling sessions and let mainland gamblers place bets remotely, allowing them to evade regulations and make large profits.
The case has been forwarded to the Public Prosecutions Office, where they are facing charges of organised crime and illegal gambling operations. Police are still investigating other individuals involved and tracking the money to dismantle the network. As per Law No. 20/2024 on Combating Illegal Gambling Offences, the suspects face up to eight years in jail.
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