Macau police bust satellite casino at villa

Police have smashed a hi-tech gambling den with satellite links to gamblers in Hong Kong, Taiwan, Beijing and other regional centres.

Police detained 13 people at a three-storey villa near the Hyatt Regency Hotel on Taipa in a raid late on Tuesday.

The first floor of the house was a gambling hall and three closed-circuit television cameras were trained on a baccarat table where games were being played.

The footage was transmitted to a control room on the second floor, containing computers and satellite transmission equipment. Three antennae were on the roof.

Gamblers placed bets by telephone and received a round of baccarat beamed to their homes.

Transmissions are believed to have been broadcast live to Hong Kong from 8 pm nightly, and the casino was said to be Taiwanese-owned.