Gaming-related crime in Macau continues its torrid pace, with the number of cases showing double-digit growth in the first five months of 2016.

Speaking at a ceremony marking the 56th anniversary of the Macau Judiciary Police (PJ), director Chao Wai Kuong said there’d been 660 gaming-related criminal cases through the end of May, up 15.6% from the same period one year ago. The pace of growth is accelerating, as Q1’s year-on-year increase was only 11.2%.

In keeping with recent patterns, gaming-related crimes largely fall into one of two categories: loan-sharking and illegal detention of gamblers who can’t pay their debts. Gaming-related loan-sharking cases were up 65.7% to 179 while illegal detention cases were up 70% to 169.

Comparing the 12 months between June 2014 – May 2015 and June 2015 – May 2016, gaming-related crime is up by one-third. Loan sharking cases were up 60% to 389 while illegal detention cases were up 200% to 435.