The Macao police will take measures to ensure the healthy development of the gaming industry after liberalization of the sector, Director Wong Sio Chak of the Bureau of Judiciary Police said here Thursday.
The Special Administrative Region (SAR) government has issued two more casino licenses to encourage market competition, but the new operators have not yet started business. "So, social influence from the move has not yet emerged," Wong told the press.
But he said the police should make earlier preparations to further crack down on gambling-related crimes, which will probably show a trend of increase in number.
The judiciary police chief vowed to join hands more closely with Hong Kong police to fight against casino crimes, partly by conducting more information exchange and handling cases jointly.
Casinos now report "very sound" public order before the traditional Spring Festival, he said.
In 2002, incidents happening at Macao's 11 casinos stood at 444in number, out of a total of 6,294 criminal activities reported to the Bureau of Judiciary Police.
Wong said public order has improved greatly in Macao since it returned to the motherland three years ago.
(Xinhua News Agency January 24, 2003)
