Hong Kong’s Consumer Council says complaints about claw machine operators have risen sharply in recent years, prompting calls for greater transparency. The council reports that complaints involving claw machines increase from 16 in 2023 to 49 in 2024, and then to 138 in 2025, describing a rise of more than sevenfold over the period. The watchdog attributes the grievances to concerns from players that machine displays are misleading and that settings may be rigged, as well as complaints about prize quality.
Reporting from two outlets based on the council’s Monday figures highlights the same upward trend and places emphasis on the need for operators to improve transparency. The council’s message is directed at how claw machines are presented and operated, following the sharp growth in the number of consumer reports. While the outlets focus on different aspects of the council’s remarks, both describe the complaint surge and the council’s call for clearer, more transparent practices by operators.
