55 Percent of Macau Casino Workers Want Out of VIP Rooms

Macau is now the world leader in casino revenue but the industry’s employees are becoming increasingly dissatisfied with their jobs.

Grumblings from dissatisfied Macau casino workers have been loud over the past year, and they just got louder. A survey commissioned by the Macau Health Bureau found that 55 percent of staff members responded “no” when asked if they want to work in VIP rooms.

Some may find this surprising, given that VIP baccarat and Macau poker rooms provide the best opportunities to earn tips. However, many workers have complained that they are regularly mistreated by wealthy gamblers.

Individuals and labor leaders have pushed for Macau gambling laws to do more to protect employees from abuse, but such legislation has been slow in coming. The city’s casino industry is heavily dependent on VIP gamblers, many of whom come from mainland China.

Macau casinos to implement smoking ban

Many workers have also complained about the smoke-heavy environments of many casinos. Luckily for them, the government has passed a blanket smoking ban which will go into effect on October 6.

The ban means that smoking will be allowed but only inside specially-designated rooms separate from the main casino floor. It’s likely that many VIP rooms will still allow patrons to smoke.