Macau’s Judiciary Police (PJ) issued a short statement late Saturday in which it said it had “cracked an illegal gambling case” that “also involved criminal groups and money laundering.”
The update follows an announcement on Friday by the Wenzhou Public Security Bureau that it had been granted approval by the People’s Procuratorate of Wenzhou to issue an arrest warrant for Suncity Group CEO Alvin Chau.
Chau is accused of “opening casinos in China” via the operation of cross-border gambling operations on behalf of Suncity Gaming Promotion Company Limited, with mainland authorities having launched an investigation in mid-2020.
The Macau government said in a separate statement that Chau had “been asked to accompany police officials of the Macau SAR in order to assist with an investigation in relation to previously-gathered evidence.”
They also referred to plans to tighten the regulation of junket operators under revisions to Macau’s gaming law currently being reviewed by the Gaming Inspection and Coordination and the Secretary of Economy and Finance.
“All people taking part in Macau’s gaming industry have to adhere strictly to relevant laws stipulated both in the country and in Macau,” it said. “There will be no tolerance of any act deemed as violating Macau law, and any such act will be investigated.
“The MSAR Government has already had in place a relatively advanced system to manage the city’s gaming promoters. When revising the gaming law, the MSAR Government will strengthen its supervision of gaming promoters and their business, with a view to ensuring Macau’s tourism and entertainment industry will be developed in a healthy and orderly way.”