According to the latest data published by Macau’s Statistics and Census Bureau (DSEC), by the end of the second quarter, the number of full-time employees in the city’s gaming industry stood at 53,592, a decrease of 3.9% year-over-year. Average income also declined by 1.8%.
Results of the Survey on Human Resource Demand and Salary in the Gaming Industry for the Second Quarter of 2022, which excludes gambling junket promoters and those who work for gaming promoter associates, show a decrease of 2,176 staff year-over-year. Meanwhile, the number of dealers was 24,093, a decrease of 550 compared with the same period last year.
Meanwhile, the average salary of full-time employees in the gaming industry (excluding bonuses) in June 2022 was MOP23,270 ($2,878), down 1.8% year-over-year, while the average salary of dealers stood at MOP19,370 ($2,396), down 2.9% year-over-year.
Furthermore, as reported by Macau Business, according to the survey, at the end of the second quarter there were only 19 job vacancies, down 37 job positions year-over-year. Additionally, the number of newly hired employees in the gaming sector was 143 in the second quarter of 2022, with 816 workers having resigned.
“The number of job vacancies has fallen to almost zero, reflecting that the demand for manpower in the gaming industry remains low due to the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic,” a statement from the DSEC reads, as reported by the cited source.
The city’s GGR in the first eight months of this year is also down by 53.4% year-on-year to MOP 28.86 billion ($3.6 billion), while down by 85.4% from the combined GGR in pre-pandemic 2019.
Latest official data show Macau’s overall unemployment rate stood at 4.1% in the May-July period of 2022, the highest level since the September-November period of 2005, while the jobless rate for local residents even reached 5.4% in the May-July period of 2022, the highest since such data was available in 2008.
Although gaming around the world has seen a strong reactivation trend, this has not been the case when it comes to Macau, which is still suffering the adverse effects of the pandemic. According to the latest reports, suppliers of slot machines, baccarat table systems, and other casino equipment are moving out of the city to new Asian markets.
In another sign of the damage that China’s Covid-19-zero policy has wrought on the formerly bustling gambling hub, demand in Macau has decreased leading several providers to take the decision to relocate. Moreover, casinos are not buying any new equipment until they get new licenses to continue operating at the end of the year.
In light of this, gaming products provider Light & Wonder is relocating its expatriate staff to the Philippines, reported The Strait Times earlier this month. Additionally, another equipment maker from Japan is also moving employees to the Philippines and Singapore. The unnamed company is relocating as many as 30% of its employees and has taken more than half of its inventory out of Macau, said the source.
The territory’s six licensed operators -including Sands China, Wynn Macau, Galaxy Entertainment, MGM China, SJM Holdings, and Melco Resorts- are set to rebid for their spots as their contracts expire at the end of the year. The bidding process kicked off in July, and operators can submit their proposals until September 14.
Original article: https://www.yogonet.com/international/news/2022/09/12/64198-macau-39s-gaming-workforce-down-by-39–yoy-in-q2-amid-continued-covid-impact
