Eight Arrested in Macau Casino Card-Tampering Fraud Scheme

Arrests Made in Macau Over Casino Card Manipulation Fraud

Authorities in Macau have detained eight local residents on allegations of conspiring to manipulate poker cards in a casino, aiming to rig game results. This information comes from Teledifusão de Macau, a public broadcaster in the region.

Details of the Card-Tampering Operation

Law enforcement officials revealed that the fraudulent scheme allowed accomplices, posing as regular gamblers, to predict the order of cards dealt at poker tables. This advantage enabled them to place winning bets unfairly. Investigations indicate the scam was executed twice, once in late March and again in early May of the current year. Employees involved in the operation reportedly received illegal payouts ranging between HKD 170,000 and HKD 500,000 (roughly $21,600 to $63,700). During police raids, approximately HKD 2.94 million (about $370,000) in cash was confiscated.

According to Judiciary Police spokesperson Lei Chi Hou, five of the eight detainees worked in the casino as table managers, supervisors, and dealers. They were allegedly recruited by a criminal syndicate to aid the fraudulent activities. The remaining three individuals are believed to be the masterminds behind the operation. The estimated financial loss for the casino due to this scheme is around HKD 4.54 million, equivalent to approximately $580,000 USD.

The suspects have been transferred to the Public Prosecutions Office and face charges related to membership in a criminal organization and large-scale fraud. Police efforts continue to locate other participants who have not yet been apprehended. Officials have called on casinos to remain vigilant against insider threats and to recognize sophisticated cheating techniques, highlighting the serious economic and reputational risks such fraud poses to the gaming sector.

Previous Similar Incident in Macau Casinos

This recent case bears resemblance to an incident last summer, where a different group of eight individuals, many employed by casinos, were arrested for tampering with cards to cheat casinos in Cotai. The suspects, aged between 33 and 42, allegedly defrauded the casinos of close to $120,000.

Judiciary Police reports indicated that five of those suspects held positions as table managers, directors, and dealers, who were recruited by the criminal group to manipulate cards during their shifts. The other three members were identified as key planners responsible for organizing the fraudulent activities.