The Gambling Industry Workers’ House Service Center has received four requests for help from casino employees related to gambling disorder cases since the beginning of 2023.
Between January and March there were four cases of gambling disorder among casino employees. This number coincides with the end of the restrictions imposed in the three years of the COVID-19 pandemic and the increase in tourists and players in the territory’s casinos since the beginning of this year.
The data were provided to TDM-Rádio Macau by Pak Kin Pong, director of the services center of the Casa dos Trabalhadores da Indústria do Jogo, an organization that focuses on “responsible gambling” and supports employees in the sector who become addicted to gambling.
“From January to March 2023, four cases have been registered. There is a downward trend in these cases over the past six years. On the other hand, 2.5 percent of MSAR residents had gambling disorders in 2016, a percentage that dropped to 0.8 percent in 2019. Three years later, in 2022, already under the effect of the pandemic, this percentage fell again, settling at 0.45 percent. It is observed that the numbers have been decreasing gradually”, said Pak Kin Pong.
In addition to the pandemic, the official also pointed out other factors that led to a reduction in cases of gambling disorders, namely a new law prohibiting concessionary employees from entering casinos to play and training actions carried out by operators in recent years with of employees on “responsible gambling”.
Pak Kin Pong recognizes that where there is gambling, there are always people with gambling addictions. And that many of those who gamble, especially from abroad, have never heard of “responsible gambling”.
Finally, Pak Kin Pong argues that one of the solutions to reduce the risk of more cases is to increase publicity about “responsible gambling”, both by official entities and by operators.
