Frontline casino staff in Macau have been trained to know the signs of problem gambling, but hesitate to proactively intervene due to fears of making customers angry, getting in trouble themselves, or erring in their belief that someone has a gambling problem.
Researchers at the Center for Gaming and Tourism Studies at Macao Polytechnic University interviewed 49 casino workers from six gaming operations in Macau. They found that most of them “understand responsible gambling clearly, but a few employees have significant cognitive biases” that keep them from taking action.
As a result, the study noted, problem gambling “has not been significantly reduced, whether from the perspective of gamblers as a whole or as a group of non-resident gamblers. If not handled properly, the problem could jeopardize the long-term viability of Macau’s gaming industry.”
According to the Macau Daily Times, non-resident gamblers have not been a specific subject of study over the past 20 years, since Macau liberalized its casino industry. The new study focused on that demographic, in the belief that problem gambling may be more prevalent there. It noted that, despite the establishment of a Responsible Gambling Working Group by the Macau government in 2009, the majority of efforts are geared to residents and overlook non-residents.
The study supports more employee training, clearer definitions of employee responsibilities to prevent problem gambling, and more responsible gambling resources for casino patrons.
“Macau can also learn from foreign practices and impose legislative requirements on its gaming industry,” the study stated. “The content of the legislation could include implementation standards, clearly defined responsibilities for all parties, and whether and how casino employees can appropriately intervene in problem gambling cases. Implementing this legislation would require extensive and in-depth discussion.”
According to Asia Gaming Brief, problem gambling among Macau residents increased from 4.28 percent in 2003 to 6.01 percent in 2007, and continued to decline every year.
