Watchdog gets to grips with Hong Kong claw machines after 760% rise in complaints

Complaints against Hong Kong claw machine operators have skyrocketed by more than 760 per cent over the past three years, driven by anger over misleading displays, rigged settings and poor-quality prizes, the city’s consumer watchdog has said. Figures shared by the Consumer Council on Monday showed that the number of reported grievances involving claw machines had gone from 16 in 2023 to 49 in 2024, before surging to 138 last year. The watchdog also highlighted a case involving a complainant ...

By Theodora Yu