Macau gaming sector records modest employee drop in Q4 2023 amidst wage hikes

Macau's gaming sector experienced a marginal decline in full-time employees during the fourth quarter of 2023 compared to the same period in the prior year, despite the rapid post-pandemic recovery in the tourism industry and the fact that restrictions were still in effect during Q4 2022.

Data from the Statistics and Census Service (DSEC) reveals that the gaming sector employed 51,771 full-time workers at the end of 2023, marking a year-on-year decrease of 403 staff, The Macau News reported. The number of dealers, totaling 23,359, saw a decline of 362.

In December, the average monthly earnings (excluding irregular remuneration) for full-time employees in the gaming sector reached 25,290 patacas ($3,140), reflecting a 6.8 percent year-on-year increase. Dealers' average earnings rose to 20,870 patacas per month, indicating a 5.4 percent increase.

The DSEC said these figures were “due mainly to the low base of comparison caused by a relatively large number of employees being placed on unpaid leave in the same month of 2022,” as per the report.

Along with the decrease in workforce, the sector witnessed a rise in job vacancies, reaching 400 at the end of the fourth quarter, marking a year-on-year increase of 387. Nearly 85 percent of these vacancies required a senior secondary education or lower, with almost 84 percent specifying a command of English. Knowledge of Mandarin was a requirement for nearly all advertised positions.

During the fourth quarter of 2023, new recruits numbered 1,035, while 843 employees left their jobs.