Triad organized crime in Macau casinos : extra-legal governance and entrepreneurship

T. Wing Lo, Sharon Ingrid Kwok

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

30 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

The Chinese criminal underworld is evolving along two paths: structural and territorial-based triads and criminal groups formed by entrepreneurs. The present study used triad involvement in casino VIP rooms to examine how these two paths cross after China resumed sovereignty of Macau in 1999. It was found that although the current operations of the junket business is determined by the external business environment in mainland China, triads continue to treat the VIP rooms as economic territories. New forms of betting and crime have emerged to meet the needs of high-end gamblers, thus resulting in the formation of a triad-enterprise hybrid that comprises territoriality and reputation of violence commonly found in extra-legal governance and the dynamic entrepreneurship of small firms.
Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)589-607
Number of pages19
JournalBritish Journal of Criminology
Volume57
Issue number3
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 1 May 2017

Bibliographical note

Publisher Copyright:
© The Author 2016. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the Centre for Crime and Justice Studies (ISTD). All rights reserved.

Keywords

  • Macau (China : Special Administrative Region)
  • casinos
  • entrepreneurship
  • triads (organized crime)

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