Asian gambling industry and the Macau-based venues in particular have had a tough year during which the weakest revenue numbers ever were reported. Apart from the indications for improving the situation and the resolution of the President Xi Jinping about economy diversification, a curious survey was also held and the results from it are pretty optimistic.
Nearly 60% of all people who took part in the survey said that they are willing to work in the casino industry. The survey itself was held in Singapore and Macau during a critical moment when the Asia Pacific casino venues were hiring new employees.
Singapore has long been an attractive gambling destination accommodating famous casino resorts that offer various gambling, dining and entertaining facilities with the aim of improving its economy. Macau, on the other hand, has been focused primarily on providing visitors with superior gambling facilities.
The survey in question was conducted by academics from the Taiwan University Shih Chien.
According to the final results, 58.4% of the Macau-based participants gave a positive answer to the question if they would like to work at a casino. By comparison, 62% of the Singapore-based respondents said they would not mind working at a casino venue.
A total of 825 people took part in the survey, the results from which were first announced in reputable Chinese media.
A few months ago, Macau officials announced that they are likely to face staff shortage but now it seems they managed to attract young people and make them believe the casino industry offers an excellent opportunity for career growth.
People who are searching for a job say that they even prefer to apply for these positions but their interest in taking up a job in the gambling industry may cause staff shortage in non-gambling sectors, a problem, which is too serious to be neglected.
More than 20% of the Macau residents who took part in the survey said that the gambling industry is not something they are not familiar with. In comparison, only 10% of the Singapore residents gave a positive answer to the question if they have ever worked in the gaming sector.
Although approximately 36% of the interviewees said that they have never participated in gambling activities, the truth is that Singapore can take pride in reporting a higher percentage of residents who visit casino venues on regular basis. What is more, Macau residents are even defined as “occasional gamblers”.
Another conclusion drawn via the survey was the fact that Singaporeans seem to be more open minded about the further development of the casino sector.
Researchers presume that the difference stems from the fact that Singapore has successfully established a diversified non-gambling sector while Macau has just made the first steps towards focusing on non-gaming alternatives.
