All Six Macau Casino Operators Increase Employee Wages in 2019

Posted on: March 10, 2019, 03:00h. 

Last updated on: March 8, 2019, 02:55h.

Devin O'Connor @CasinoorgDevinO Read More
Expertise: Asia Pacific Gaming, Commercial Gaming, Legislation, Politics.

The six Macau casino licensees in the enclave have all increased wages for employees following the region’s second consecutive year of growth.

Macau casino workers salary wage bonus
Macau casino workers are making more money in 2019. (Image: Kim Cheung/AP)

MGM China – MGM Resorts’ operating unit in the enclave – announced this week that salaries for non-management workers would be increasing 2.5 percent to 7.1 percent. The change is effective March 18.

MGM China CEO Grant Bowie said of the increases, “I would like to extend my gratitude to the Golden Lion Team for their hard work and contributions during the year. We continue to invest in nurturing our team, to develop their skills, and in providing opportunities for them to build a successful career and contribute to the growth of our Macau community.”

For team members with a monthly salary of MOP16,000 or less ($2,000), a standard MOP600 ($74) monthly bonus will be given to each worker. For eligible staffers making more than MOP16,000, a base 2.5 percent salary increment will be awarded.

Sharing the Wealth

MGM China is the sixth casino company in Macau to decide to increase pay and/or benefits for workers.

The five other gaming concession holders – Las Vegas Sands, Wynn Resorts, Melco Resorts, Galaxy Entertainment, and SJM Holdings – have all announced wage increases or annual bonuses for non-management workers.

Sands, Galaxy, and Wynn have also extended paid maternity and paternity leaves. New mothers are now afforded as many as 70 days of paid time off, and fathers can take as many as five days away from the job with pay.

Gross gaming revenue (GGR) totaled more than $37.8 billion last year, a 14 percent increase on the prior year. The 2018 win was the enclave’s highest since 2014.

In January, Wynn announced it would be giving bonuses to 96 percent of its 13,500 workers in the enclave. The checks were equivalent to roughly one month’s pay. MGM and Melco announced bonuses for non-managerial staffers the same week.

Community Engagement

All six Macau casino operators will see their licenses expire over the next three years. Enclave gaming regulators and government officials are currently working to update rules that oversee the gaming industry.

SJM and MGM are scheduled to be the first companies to enter the renewal process next year. The four others will see their permits terminate in 2022.

While analysts expect that all six will receive new concessions, the casino companies are doing whatever they can to keep a positive reputation for their multibillion-dollar organizations.

A poll conducted last year by Macau University of Science and Technology’s Institute for Sustainable Development concluded that casino employees were becoming less satisfied with their jobs. Workers cited how they’re treated by superiors, personal gratification, and job stability as leading concerns. More money in their pockets will presumably help offset such unease.

In December, the Power of the Macao Gaming Association, a leading union representing thousands of workers in the region, said it was seeking pay increases for its members. “Macau’s economy is at least better than a few years ago when the gaming slump hit, so we think the casino operators should raise our salary and boost workers’ morale,” union VP Ian Chung declared.