Security services say no gambling websites found operating in Macau

The security authority has not found any gambling websites operating in Macau, according to Sit Chong Meng, Director of the Judiciary Police (PJ), who revealed this information yesterday.

Earlier this month, local junket operator Suncity Group was accused by the mainland’s Economic Information Daily, an affiliate of Xinhua news agency, of operating online casinos and allowing proxy betting services. Both are banned practices in Macau and the mainland.

Sit said that the PJ has not spotted operations in Macau run by the concerned website, and that since the website is not operating in the city, the PJ can only focus its attention on relevant situations which fall within its jurisdiction of Macau.

Currently, if the PJ finds overseas gambling websites operating in Macau, the bureau must open an investigation file, notify the concerned websites’ operators, and proceed to suspend the websites.

On Wednesday, SJM Holdings’ Executive Director Angela Leong expressed her belief that all of Macau’s junket promoters obey the city’s law, according to a report by Jornal Cheng Pou.

Regarding the Suncity case, Leong declined to comment but expressed her trust in local junket operators.

“I will not comment on the things everybody has read, or the things you [the media] have already reported,” said Leong, adding that “our junkets have always been obeying the law.”

Meanwhile, Secretary for Economy and Finance, Lionel Leong, issued a reminder that Macau’s gaming concessionaires and sub-concessionaires – as well as the city’s licensed junkets – must comply with local laws in order to carry out their businesses. Secretary Leong made his remarks on Wednesday, while on a visit to Jiangsu province with a delegation composed of local youth.

The Secretary further stated that other jurisdictions had their own particular laws and Macau’s laws only applied for business pursued within the territory. He noted companies were advised to carry out activities in line with regulations in the relevant jurisdictions in which they had business.

The government had done a lot of work to promote responsible gaming and to remind the public not to get involved in illegal gaming activities, stated Leong.

That effort included sending SMS text messages to visitors not to take part in online gaming. Additionally, messages urging visitors to engage in legal gaming in a responsible manner were displayed on monitors at cross-boundary checkpoints and on various news platforms.

Separately, to the gambling website information, the PJ director also reported that between June 2018 and May 2019, the PJ opened 14,516 investigation files, representing an 11% increase year on year.

A 10% increase (5,926 cases) has also been recorded in regard to criminal investigation cases. During that period, 4,170 people (9% increase) were forwarded to the prosecution authority.

The increase, according to Sit, has demonstrated that the security authority has deepened its policing policy and improved law enforcement efficiency, which has returned positive results.