Illegal, under-the-table betting has resulted in Macau losing nearly US$13bn over the last five years, according to a survey conducted by the South China Morning Post.
The scam - commonly known as ‘skimming’ - involves gamblers meeting with junket operators before entering casinos’ VIP rooms and agreeing that wagers in the rooms form part of a larger under-the-table total to be settled afterward.
After interviewing five industry executives in Macau, the South China Morning Post said that these side bets could represent as much as 80 per cent of the officially reported VIP gambling market in Macau.
Players and junket operators caught side-betting face up to six months and three years of jail time, respectively.
