Survey reveals Macau casino workers open to obtaining professional qualifications, licenses

A recent survey by the Macao Association of Young Workers in the Gaming Industry indicates that around 97% of Macau’s casino employees are amenable to obtaining professional certifications and licenses in order to enhance their skills.

The survey results were made public on December 1st during a conference focused on the state of the SAR’s gaming industry held at Macau Fisherman’s Wharf.

In an interview with AGB, research organizer Carlos Siu Lam, an associate professor at Macao Polytechnic University’s Centre for Gaming and Tourism Studies, revealed the findings. According to Lam, the survey, which gathered 519 responses and included six in-depth interviews with senior executives, showed that employees in the gaming industry had a positive attitude toward professionalism. A professional qualification or licensing system was favored by over two-thirds of those surveyed, and 97.7% of them were willing to get the required licenses or certifications in order to improve their professional standards.

Lam noted that although almost 78% of the workers surveyed voiced reservations, this was not necessarily connected to a bad opinion of the idea of professionalization. These reservations stemmed from ignorance of the requirements for professionalization. The poll found that initiative, technical proficiency, service integration abilities, contextual awareness, and a solid understanding of legal and regulatory issues are the five key components that define professionalism for workers in the gambling industry.

The study suggests that casinos should enhance their internal training initiatives by enabling employees to learn from and share their experiences, therefore developing their professional skills and knowledge base. In order to sustain and increase the gambling sector’s competitiveness, it emphasized the crucial roles that the government and gaming companies must play in promoting the professionalization process. It also made the case for increased awareness of and active pursuit of professional knowledge and skills within the industry.

Original story by: Asia Gaming Brief