Players and dealers colluded to rig games, stealing at least $573,000
Macau authorities have detained eight people accused of running a sophisticated poker cheating scheme inside a local casino, according to the Judiciary Police. The group, made up of five casino employees and three alleged planners, is suspected of manipulating the order of cards in a card shoe to predetermine game outcomes, giving their associates an advantage at the tables.
Officials stated that the operation resulted in the casino losing approximately HK$4.54 million (US$573,000) across two incidents in late March and early May this year. The employees involved—who reportedly included table managers, supervisors, and dealers—are believed to have been recruited by an organized syndicate. The other three suspects allegedly coordinated the scheme and placed bets using the inside knowledge provided.
Investigators believe the cheating process took place in a private room, where the card shoe was resequenced before being returned to the gaming floor. This allowed the players in on the plot to predict upcoming cards and place winning bets with near certainty.
Each casino employee allegedly earned between HK$170,000 (US$21,700) and HK$500,000 (US$63,700) from the scheme. During searches, police seized HK$2.94 (US$380,000) million in cash believed to be linked to the operation.
All eight suspects have been referred to the Public Prosecutions Office and face charges of participating in a criminal organization and large-scale fraud. Authorities say more suspects remain at large and are actively being sought.
The Judiciary Police warned that insider collusion represents a serious threat to the integrity of Macau’s gaming industry, which relies heavily on international credibility. Officials urged casinos to strengthen internal oversight and security protocols to prevent similar incidents, noting that schemes involving staff coordination can be harder to detect and can inflict significant financial and reputational damage.
