Macau’s Judiciary Police has asked web hosting companies working outside Macau to block or remove 237 alleged illegal gambling websites according to Macau’s Secretary for Security, Wong Sio Chak.
About 130 of those websites have already been blocked, he said.
Wong said illegal gambling websites that pirated Macau casino brands “seriously damaged” Macau’s image as an international tourism and gaming destination at a press briefing. The Judiciary Police had investigated and analyzed the sites in question and requested web hosting companies to block or remove these websites.
The Macau government is also preparing legislation to curb spam text messages being sent by illegal telecoms equipment. Such messages often promote illegal gambling websites to mainland Chinese tourists. Wong said he expected the new legislation to be ready next year.
During the first nine months of 2018, Macau’s Judiciary Police conducted a total of nine operations against spam text messages. These operations had resulted in a total of 22 arrests, Wong said.
Macau’s Judiciary Police recorded a total of 1,338 suspected gaming-related crimes during the January to September period, up by 1.1 percent when compared to the prior-year period, Wong added.
