First arrests under new illegal gaming law

A 40-year-old unemployed male suspect was arrested due to suspicion of operating illegal currency exchange activities, by the Judiciary Police (PJ).

According to the PJ, the suspect was found speaking with a witness in a private room at the venue.

The suspect presented a QR code on his mobile phone, and after the witness confirmed the payment, the suspect handed over HKD21,000 in gaming chips.

Further investigation revealed the suspect was profiting HKD80 for every HKD10,000 exchanged, indicating an illegal currency exchange operation.

In the same operation, authorities seized HKD25,900 in gaming chips, HKD500 in cash, and the mobile phone used in the transaction.

The detention is the second in two consecutive days as authorities have launched a crackdown on unlawful currency exchange operations related to gambling activities.

This comes after the recent enactment of Law No. 20, which targets illegal gambling crimes and includes a provision to turn currency exchange into a criminal offense.

Offenders may face up to five years in prison, and any money or valuables associated with these activities will be confiscated.

On Wednesday, the same police force uncovered the first case of illegal currency exchange for the purpose of gambling since the new law came into effect, on the same day.

In this first case, the police arrested two mainland Chinese suspected of committing the same crime that took place at a Cotai casino smoking room. At that time the PJ seized over RMB51,000 in cash.

Since the law came into force, authorities have been urging the public to conduct currency exchanges only at authorized financial institutions or legitimate shops to avoid involvement in unlawful activities. Victoria Chan