credited police for targeting<\/a> “criminal groups” for the crime drop. But the government official did not detail what sort of investigations might have infiltrated or stopped such criminal operations.<\/p>\n<\/div>\nAs security secretary, Wong is Macau’s fourth-most senior government official. His agency is responsible for regional public safety and security and oversees the Judicial Police. Wong is additionally a member of Macau Chief Executive Ho Iat Seng’s Executive Council, which acts as a formal body of advisors to the chief lawmaker.<\/p>\n
Wong says it’s in Macau’s best interests to return the region’s casino industry to pre-pandemic strength.<\/p>\n
“The epidemic situation that has lasted for more than two years has had a strong impact on Macau’s gaming industry. “Gaming is a pillar industry in Macau,” Wong concluded in his casino crime report.<\/p>\n
Crime, Gaming Tumbles<\/b><\/h2>\n
Reduced visitor traffic in 2022 was credited for the drop in Macau casino crime. But fewer travelers also led to reduced gaming revenue.<\/p>\n
The six casino operators won $3.3 billion through the year’s first seven months. That’s down 54% — or approximately $3.8 billion — from 2021.<\/strong><\/p>\nMacau’s current economy cannot survive long-term without its casinos. The sector employs most of the region’s residents and is responsible for most of the enclave’s annual government budget.<\/p>\n
Casinos delivered the SAR government about $14 billion in pre-pandemic 2019 tax revenue. That accounted for almost 90% of the enclave’s total tax income.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Macau casinos have experienced fewer incidences of crime during the first six months of this year compared with 2021. It’s one of the few silver linings in Macau, as the Chinese enclave continues to battle COVID-19 by keeping the region relatively closed to outsiders. Macau’s Security Secretary Wong Sio Chak’s office this week said there […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":25,"featured_media":228026,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[69069],"tags":[82061,51],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\n
Macau Casino Crime Cut Almost in Half, Silver Lining of Reduced Visitors<\/title>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\n\n\n\n\n\t\n\t\n\t\n