live streaming, placing proxy bets
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OPINION – Electronic baccarat shoes: a question of trust, not integrity
By MBeditor
Social media platforms are frequently the source of unfounded rumors and speculation. Some gain traction and spread rapidly. Over the past weeks, questions have been raised regarding the integrity and reliability of “electronic shoes” used in casino gaming operations. The central allegation is that electronic card shoes employed in Macau casinos may be rigged or subject to remote control, thereby creating the possibility of manipulating the dealing process and influencing game outcomes. These claims have generated concern, despite the absence of any credible evidence demonstrating that such devices can be used to alter the fairness or randomness of the games.
Unfounded rumors can spread rapidly, undermining public confidence and potentially causing reputational damage to industry stakeholders and regulatory institutions. In this context, the Macau gaming regulator, DICJ, acted appropriately by addressing the allegations in a timely and transparent manner.
On 10 June, DICJ issued an official statement emphasizing several key points. Among other matters, it reiterated that casino gaming equipment is subject to strict regulatory oversight; that all electronic devices must undergo testing and certification by independent laboratories accredited by DICJ; that such equipment may only be deployed following formal regulatory approval; and that DICJ conducts both routine and unannounced inspections to ensure ongoing compliance. The regulator further stated that no irregularities or instances of non-compliance have been identified during its recent inspections.
The regulator’s clarification should be more than sufficient to dispel these baseless allegations and address any concerns that may have arisen among players. It provides a reminder that robust regulatory controls and oversight mechanisms are in place to safeguard the integrity of casino operations. Players should be reassured that there is no evidence suggesting any impropriety in the use of modern electronic shoes in baccarat.
These devices are now monitoring tools designed for use within a smart-table environment, which identify and record the cards being dealt, thereby supporting game monitoring, data collection, and operational oversight. Crucially, however, they have no ability to alter the sequence of cards, select specific cards, or replace one card with another. Their function is purely observational and administrative rather than determinative. As such, they cannot influence the outcome of a game, compromise the randomness of the dealing process, or undermine the fairness and integrity of baccarat play.
The allegations are also difficult to reconcile with the economic realities of the gaming industry. Casinos already operate with a mathematically established house advantage that is embedded in the rules of each game and prescribed by the applicable regulatory framework. There is no rational commercial incentive for an operator to manipulate game outcomes through unlawful means. Any attempt to interfere with gaming equipment to influence results would expose the operator to severe consequences under criminal, civil, and administrative law. Beyond the risk of substantial penalties and regulatory sanctions, such conduct could jeopardize the operator’s concession, reputation, and long-term commercial viability. The potential costs vastly outweigh any conceivable short-term benefit.
Allegations of manipulation of electronic shoes to “ensure the luck” or otherwise control outcomes are false. There is no evidence whatsoever that such practices have occurred, and any form of cheating or game manipulation would constitute a serious violation of the law. No casino operator would accept such extraordinary legal, regulatory, and reputational risks. From a business perspective, doing so would be entirely irrational. Most players readily understand this and recognize that the industry’s success depends on maintaining public confidence in the fairness and integrity of its games.
Accordingly, the only meaningful issue that remains is not one of regulatory compliance or game integrity, but rather one of player perception and trust. Casino gaming has always depended on public confidence, and players have traditionally preferred games whose operation they can directly observe and understand.
This helps explain the longstanding popularity of table games, particularly in Macau and other Asian gaming markets. Players generally understand that the appearance of a slot machine reveals little about its internal mathematics, programming, or operation. The functioning of random number generators, payout percentages, virtual reels, and other software-driven mechanisms is largely invisible to the player. As a result, many players place less trust in slot machines than in traditional table games, where the rules, odds, and execution of the game are visible and readily understood.
Table games have historically been regarded as highly transparent. The cards are dealt in full view of the players, the rules are well known, and every stage of the game unfolds openly on the gaming table. This visibility contributes significantly to player confidence.
In an era increasingly shaped by artificial intelligence, automation, and digital technologies, it is perhaps unsurprising that players may become suspicious when new devices appear at the gaming table. Electronic shoes contain sensors, software, and communication components, and they form part of a broader smart-table ecosystem designed to improve monitoring, efficiency, and operational oversight.
However, when players encounter unfamiliar equipment (whether screens, indicator lights, buttons, or other electronic components whose purpose may not be immediately apparent) they may naturally question how such technology functions and whether it affects the game.
In this sense, the debate surrounding electronic shoes is fundamentally a trust issue. Whenever a process becomes less directly observable to the average participant, the potential for suspicion increases, particularly in an environment where players may already be reacting emotionally to gambling losses. The challenge is therefore not one of integrity, but one of perception and understanding.
Over time, however, such concerns are likely to diminish. The gaming industry has repeatedly adapted to technological innovation, and players generally become comfortable with new equipment once its purpose and limitations are understood. The modern baccarat shoe is no longer a purely mechanical device, but there is little reason to believe that players will ultimately reject the technology. As familiarity increases and misconceptions are dispelled, electronic shoes will likely come to be viewed as a normal and unremarkable component of the contemporary smart-table environment.
https://macaubusiness.com/opinion-electronic-baccarat-shoes-a-question-of-trust-not-integrity/
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Casino proxy betting hard to curb, but better guidance for staff and surveillance can help: Macau security expert stated Macau-based Karen Sun. She is a lecturer specialising in casino game skills and security, and is a former senior executive for table game operations and surveillance within the local industry.
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Macau’s Secretary for Security, Chan Tsz King, said illegal live-stream proxy betting inside casinos remains “under control,” crediting close cooperation from gaming operators and the swift response of on-site police whenever early signs of such activity emerge.
Speaking at a crime statistics briefing on July 16th, Chan said the recently uncovered cases of proxy betting, in which casino table games are live-streamed so that gamblers outside Macau can place bets remotely, were mostly isolated incidents, and the Judiciary Police will continue to investigate in depth.
Echoing the security chief’s stance, the Gaming Inspection and Coordination Bureau (DICJ) met representatives of the six gaming concessionaires on July 14th to strengthen prevention and reporting mechanisms against proxy betting, noting that technological advances are making illegal betting methods increasingly covert.
According to a press release issued by the DICJ, operators shared their existing countermeasures at the meeting, including surveillance equipment, stepped-up patrols, staff training, identification guidelines and reporting incentive schemes.
The regulator said it will maintain close communication with law enforcement and concessionaires through regular exchanges and information sharing to safeguard the ‘healthy and orderly development’ of Macau’s gaming industry.
https://agbrief.com/news/macau/16/07/2026/macau-proxy-betting-cases-remain-under-control-security-chief/?utm_source=Asia+Gaming+Brief&utm_campaign=3b2b866129-AGB%3A+%2302428+Friday%2C+17th+July%2C+2026&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_51950b5d21-3b2b866129-%5BLIST_EMAIL_ID%5D&ct=t%28AGB%3A+%2302428+Friday%2C+17th+July%2C+2026%29&goal=0_51950b5d21-3b2b866129-%5BLIST_EMAIL_ID%5D&mc_cid=3b2b866129&mc_eid=31e20475e6
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Regulator summons casino representatives to discuss proxy betting safeguards
By Aries Un
Representatives of casino operators in Macau met with their government counterparts to discuss possible ways to combat proxy betting amidst the ongoing high‑profile crackdown on such activity.
The Gaming Inspection and Coordination Bureau released information on Thursday to inform the public of this July 14 meeting.
The objective, as the regulator pointed out, is to safeguard the city’s healthy and regulated gaming industry.
Attendees at this meeting included those from the departments of security, human resources, public relations, and front‑line operations.
The Judiciary Police announced the arrest of a 42‑year‑old mainland Chinese national on the day the release was made public.
He was caught live‑streaming baccarat gaming tables and placing bets on behalf of punters from the Chinese mainland.
Similar to the tactic employed by other suspects caught recently engaging in proxy betting, this unemployed hid his phone in a pocket, receiving instructions from mainland gamblers through Bluetooth earphones and his watch as they watched live what was happening on the gaming tables.
The DICJ stated that as “technological developments advanced, certain unauthorised betting methods became more covert, posing new challenges for venue management”.
According to this official release, casino operators have been using surveillance equipment and have intensified training, inspections, recognition guidelines, and whistleblower reward systems.
A spate of announcements from the Judiciary Police regarding agent betting via hidden phone cameras has dominated local media content in the recent month.
Earlier this week, mainland media reported that up to 42 individuals had been apprehended in Maoming City, Guangdong, for taking part in cross‑border internet gambling activity.
It was reported that millions of renminbi were involved.
https://macaubusiness.com/regulator-summons-casino-representatives-to-discuss-proxy-betting-safeguards/
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Police intensify crackdown as proxy betting incidents rise
By Aries Un
Macau police have recently busted a litany of gambling-linked live streams, with the latest case involving a mainland Chinese national carrying out a proxy betting operation via a mobile phone in his shirt pocket.
According to a Judiciary Police (PJ) announcement on Thursday, the latest suspect is a 41-year-old businessperson who was engaged in deals reaching HK$30,000 (MOP30,861 / US$3,828) across three remote betting attempts.
The alleged filming came to light as the PJ was conducting an anti-crime mission inside a casino on Wednesday afternoon. The suspect was found to have acted ‘suspiciously’ at a baccarat table on the gaming floor.
The authorities said that he appeared to be hiding a mobile phone in a chest pocket, with its camera left exposed and pointing at an electronic baccarat display.
It was further noted that he was found to have taken orders from mainland Chinese punters through an instant messaging mobile application.
However, the suspect failed to earn any remuneration from his proxy betting operation, as all the bets resulted in losses.
Earlier this week, two mainland Chinese men were also caught allegedly carrying out a similar scheme at two separate casinos, one in Cotai and the other downtown.
Their suspicious behaviour caused alarm among casino staff, who later reported them to the Judiciary Police.
It was found that one of the suspects, a 39-year-old unemployed man, had had his shirt punched and left with a small hole.
The small hole was allegedly for his mobile phone’s camera to fit through and live-stream betting rounds, while he communicated with bettors online through earphones.
The other man, also unemployed and aged 37, had also allegedly modified his clothing for the same purpose.
An investigation is now ongoing to determine whether the two belonged to a wider syndicate.
At the end of June, a 43-year-old man was arrested for allegedly pocketing at least HK$20,000 from a similar proxy betting scheme inside a downtown casino.
Investigators also found modified clothing in his hotel room, alongside electronic devices, including earphones and a smartwatch.
The suspect told detectives that he had been paid HK$1,000 an hour since mid-May for the job, with at least eight remote gambling rounds supported, involving bets ranging from HK$500 to HK$1,000.
In February 2025, PJ detectives busted a clandestine syndicate allegedly operating a HK$5.36 million ‘under-the-table’ betting scheme, apprehending three mainland Chinese men aged between 29 and 35.
The action was taken based on intelligence gathered the previous year, with this group believed to have been active since August 2024.
More than 10 people were subsequently believed to be on the run.
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Following the arrest of a mainland Chinese man last Monday 29 June by the Macau Judiciary Police (PJ) on suspicion of using a hidden mobile phone to live stream casino games, the PJ arrested two more mainland men on Sunday for allegedly using the same tactic to livestream games inside casinos.
According to the case details, the PJ received a report on Sunday that a mainland man at a casino on the Cotai Strip was acting abnormally and in a suspicious posture while gambling at tables and slot machines, leading to suspicions that he was using a hidden phone to livestream.
Upon investigating at the scene, PJ officers discovered that the man’s clothing was fitted with a concealed compartment featuring a small hole. Hidden inside the pocket of this compartment was a mobile phone, which was suspected of filming the gambling action via a livestreaming application. He was also wearing Bluetooth earphones to receive instructions from clients in mainland China and was placing bets according to their commands.
The PJ stated that the man is suspected of assisting in placing bets after receiving instructions. When caught, he had already been gambling for over 10 minutes and is suspected of committing the crime of illegal operation of online games of chance or mutual gaming online. Following his arrest, the man claimed he was merely conducting a “test” and denied the crime.
On the same day, the PJ discovered another man engaging in similar behavior at a different casino on the Macau Peninsula. When caught, he had already been placing bets for about an hour.
The PJ told the media they will continue to investigate whether other accomplices are involved and clarify whether the two cases are linked.
Last week, the PJ discovered that a mainland man was using a hidden mobile phone to livestream casino games inside a Macau casino to allow individuals overseas to engage in proxy betting.
After his arrest, the man claimed that he received a payment of HK$1,000 (US$128) for each bet he placed on behalf of a customer, and that he had made illegal profits totaling no less than HK$20,000 (US$2,550) since May.
https://asgam.com/2026/07/07/police-uncover-multiple-cases-of-individuals-live-streaming-placing-proxy-bets-from-macau-casinos/
Macau police have announced two more investigations into suspected casino proxy gambling, bringing to three the number of such cases publicised by the city’s authorities in the past eight days.
According to a Judiciary Police briefing on Monday, reported by Chinese-language Macao Daily News, the latest cases involved alleged bets, slot machine vouchers and gambling chips with a combined value of at least HKD97,350 (about US$12,412).
The two investigations involve separate incidents and two men from the Chinese mainland. They were said to have placed bets on behalf of people not physically present on casino premises, via live “telephone broadcasts” of gambling games.
The casinos allegedly used for the activities were not identified, though one was in Cotai, and the other on Macau peninsula.
In the first instance, an unemployed man, aged 39, was detained at an electronic baccarat machine at the Cotai venue, following information passed to police at 1am on Sunday.
He was allegedly wearing a top modified with a hole in it, to allow video recording of games via a concealed smartphone.
Police alleged he received betting instructions through a concealed earpiece from gamblers located overseas before placing bets worth about HKD8,000, per the media report.
The suspect denied accepting bets from third parties, claiming he was only “testing” the gaming machine. During that operation, police seized HKD19,350 in slot machine cash vouchers, two smartphones and a set of headphones.
At 1.30am on Sunday, the police received another report of a similar case at a downtown casino.
They confronted a 37-year-old unemployed mainland man, finding he was also wearing clothing allegedly with special alterations. The authorities said they could not determine the value of the alleged proxy bets or any winnings because the suspect refused to cooperate and had allegedly deleted relevant communications from his mobile devices.
During that operation, police seized HKD78,000 in chips, as well as the allegedly modified clothing, two phones, and a set of headphones, reported Macao Daily News.
Police said both men would be charged with the offence of “illegal operation of online games of fortune or online mutual gambling” and be transferred to the Public Prosecutions Office for follow-up.
Police said there was currently no evidence linking the two cases, although establishing whether they were connected would form part of the ongoing inquiry.
The latest investigations follow another proxy gambling case announced by police last week.
At the time, the Chinese-language radio service of Macao’s public broadcaster TDM had reported a 43-year-old male from the Chinese mainland had been detained on the morning of June 29, and investigated for allegedly used altered clothing to conduct a live broadcast – via smartphone – of gambling games in a Macau peninsula casino on behalf of “Chinese mainland” bettors not present at the venue.
In the June case, the police seized a total of HKD81,500 consisting of a mix of cash and gambling chips from the suspect. He was accused of making a profit of at least HKD20,000 from the activity.
He was said to have used “micro headphones” to receive betting instructions and place bets on behalf of others. Officers found a total of HKD40,500 in cash, HKD41,000 in chips, four items of altered clothing, four mobile phones, micro-headphone-connected receivers and smartwatches. The items were either on his person, or found in the room of a Cotai-district hotel where he had been staying.
The suspect allegedly testified to receiving about HKD1,000 per hour as remuneration, and from having profited from commissions. He was suspected of conducting at least eight illegal live-bet broadcasts at the same gaming venue since mid-May, via individual bets ranging from HKD500 to more than HKD1,000. The police investigation of that case is reportedly ongoing.
https://www.ggrasia.com/macau-police-announce-third-casino-proxy-gambling-investigation-within-eight-days?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=macau-police-announce-third-casino-proxy-gambling-investigation-within-eight-days&__cf_chl_f_tk=BypRNg6ul63i_UzK0iasPXPf4NUSyQA3JQG3lklIIJg-1783418771-1.0.1.1-dKq7stQQs_AXPFEF6Y3I6wel5x8U7De0LQtobg19cbM
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