A total of 93 people have been arrested following an investigation into an illegal gambling operation in Macau, Hong Kong and the Guangdong Province.
According to a report by government officials, the operation took place across a plethora of major casino locations in Macau.
Police also revealed that the ongoing European football Championships in Germany was a key focus for the syndicate as it offered higher odds for the tournament than legitimate bookmakers..
Furthermore, the operation has been in place since 2016, as law officials remained poised until the most effective moment to ensure they could counter and arrest those responsible for the illegal syndicate.
There was also an illegal gaming and casino operation pursued by the group, which operated in Macau and was taken down by law officials amidst the investigation.
It was also detailed that there was cross-border collaboration as a result of the illegal operation, with a customs official being one of the suspects arrested.
The investigation and arrests come following stark warnings from the Chinese government over the usage of overseas betting operations and casinos.
As well as this, China and South Korea recently intensified their connection in the battle against cross-border gambling.
It was reported by the Chinese media platform, People’s Daily, that law officials from both nations met to discuss the next steps in enhancing the way law is upheld in the region and ensuring that collaboration continues in the battle against illicit gambling.
At the heart of the challenge will be the innovation in methods for detecting and combating cross border gambling between the two east Asian countries.
It builds on continued efforts from China to halt cross border gambling – having previously elevated its approach in the Philippines and Sri Lanka to bolster security efforts.
Published on WeChat, China’s Philippines embassy emphasised that gambling by Chinese citizens in casinos overseas is still considered illegal.
Key to the statement from the Chinese government is that it is unable to ensure consumer protections are implemented if citizens are gambling at overseas casinos, even if they are completely legal premises in their respective jurisdiction.
