Macau gaming worker pay rises in Q3
Average earnings reached MOP21,000 (US$2,623) in the third quarter.
Macau.- The Statistics and Census Service (DSEC) has reported that the average earnings of full-time employees in the Macau gaming industry were MOP21,000 (US$2,623) in the third quarter. That’s a rise of 2.43 per cent year-on-year from MOP20,500 (US$2,565).
Employees in the gaming sector continue to make up the largest group within Macau’s workforce. There are currently 71,500 gaming workers, representing about 18.9 per cent of the total employed population of 379,300. In Q3, the gaming workforce grew by 1.7 per cent quarter-on-quarter and 0.7 per cent in year-on-year terms. The median monthly salary compares to MOP22,000 in the financial sector and MOP18,000 overall, the latter unchanged from the same quarter last year.
Macau’s general unemployment rate decreased 12.5 per cent in quarter-on-quarter terms to 9,100. Most were actively seeking employment. Among those searching for jobs, 17.2 per cent had previously held positions in the gaming industry while 16.7 per cent had backgrounds in hotels or restaurants. The number of unemployed former gaming employees dropped by 26.3 per cent quarter-on-quarter, falling to 1,400.
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Number of non-resident Macau workers falls slightly
The Labour Affairs Bureau has reported that the number of non-resident workers, often referred to as blue card holders, stood at 182,371 at the end of September. The number was down 0.471 per cent compared to the end of August. It’s the first time since the relaxation of entry and exit policies last January that the number has fallen.
The construction industry experienced the most significant decrease. The number of non-resident workers in the recreational, cultural, gaming and other services sector reached 11,002, up 29 per cent from 8,505 in January 2023 and up by 38 from the end of August (10,964).
The Hotels, Restaurants, and similar activities sector has consistently been the largest employer of non-resident workers in Macau. As of the end of September, the sector employed 52,605 foreign workers, up by 42 per cent. The majority were from mainland China, followed by the Philippines and Vietnam.
Macau GGR expected to reach MOP18bn in November
Bank of America Securities has forecast that Macau’s gross gaming revenue (GGR) will reach MOP18bn (US$2.25bn) in November. That would be a decrease of 13.5 per cent month-on-month but a rise of 12.1 per cent compared to November 2023. It would be 78.6 per cent of the GGR recorded in the same month of 2019, before the Covid-19 pandemic.
November’s GGR typically falls more than 10 per cent from October figures. Last November, GGR was down 17.7 per cent month-on-month. However, analysts said the Macau Grand Prix from November 14 to 17, would positively affect GGR figures. They said GGR had performed better than expected in the last month considering the decline in consumer spending in China.
In October, GGR was MOP20.79bn (US$2.60bn). That’s an increase of 6.6 per cent year-on-year and 20.5 per cent compared to the previous month. It was the city’s best monthly performance since January 2020 at the beginning of the Covid-19 pandemic (MOP22.13bn). The rise in revenue was mainly attributed to the October Golden Week holiday, a seven-day public holiday in Mainland China, which brought 916,000 visitors to Macau.
