Macau's Financial Intelligence Office (GIF) has reported that the six gaming concessionaires submitted a total of 2,018 suspicious transaction reports during the first half of 2026, an 8.7% increase compared with the same period in 2025. The reports relate to suspected money laundering or terrorist financing.
The gaming industry remained the largest source of suspicious transaction reports, accounting for 73.3% of all filings received by the authority during the six-month period.
Overall, the GIF received 2,753 suspicious transaction reports in the first half of 2026, representing a 9.5% year-on-year increase. Officials attributed the rise primarily to the higher number of reports submitted by casino operators.
Banks and insurance companies accounted for 19.1% of all reports, while the remaining 7.6% came from other designated reporting entities, including pawnshops, jewelry retailers, real estate agencies and auction houses.
Under Macau's anti-money laundering framework, these sectors are required to report transactions of MOP 500,000 ($62,000) or more when they are considered suspicious. In 2025, the GIF received 4,925 reports, down 6.1% from the previous year, when the Special Administrative Region recorded its highest number of suspicious transaction reports on record.
In June, the casino industry recorded its first year-over-year monthly decline of 2026, with GGR falling to MOP18.52 billion, down 12.1% compared with the same month last year, according to figures released by the Gaming Inspection and Coordination Bureau (DICJ).
The June result brought total GGR for the first half of the year to MOP126.9bn, representing a 6.8% increase compared with the same period in 2025. Earlier months had delivered solid growth, led by January's 24% increase, helping offset the recent slowdown.
Analysts expect Macau gaming demand to recover after the FIFA World Cup, supported by major entertainment events
