Diversification: collaboration between gaming operators and technology firms



set25 Macau’s dependence on gaming fuels persistent skilled worker gap: US report


Foreign businesses operating in Macau have identified a persistent shortage of skilled workers as one of the biggest obstacles to their operations and expansion, according to the 2025 Macau Investment Climate Statement released by the US Department of State.

The shortage, closely tied to the city’s heavy reliance on tourism and gaming, has raised concerns about Macau’s long-term competitiveness.

The statement noted that ‘foreign businesses cite a constant shortage of skilled workers – a result of the city’s dependence on tourism and gaming – as a top constraint on their operations and future expansion.’

Macau’s gaming sector, which generated $28.3 billion in casino gross gaming revenue in 2024, continues to dominate the economy. The government collected $11 billion in gaming tax revenue last year, accounting for 81 percent of total government revenue of $13.7 billion. This overwhelming dependence on gaming has concentrated the workforce in tourism and casino-related services.

With unemployment at just 1.7 percent as of November 2024, the issue is not a lack of jobs but a mismatch between available talent and industry needs. It is also worth noting that three of Macau’s six gaming concessionaires have American parent companies—Sands China, MGM China, and Wynn Macau.

The report states that strict local employment regulations further compound the labor shortage. By law, both local and foreign casino operators must hire only Macau residents as croupiers. Taxi and bus drivers are also required to be local residents. While these restrictions aim to protect local employment, they limit the available talent pool for critical positions.

https://agbrief.com/news/macau/29/09/2025/macaus-dependence-on-gaming-fuels-persistent-skilled-worker-gap-us-report/?utm_source=Asia+Gaming+Brief&utm_campaign=b0b040379b-AGB%3A+%2302238+Tuesday%2C+30th+September%2C+2025&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_51950b5d21-b0b040379b-%5BLIST_EMAIL_ID%5D&ct=t%28AGB%3A+%2302238+Tuesday%2C+30th+September%2C+2025%29&goal=0_51950b5d21-b0b040379b-%5BLIST_EMAIL_ID%5D&mc_cid=b0b040379b&mc_eid=31e20475e6




 set25

he Macau government is stepping up efforts this year to foster deeper collaboration between gaming operators and technology firms, in a bid to accelerate the development of local small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) and promote economic diversification.

The remarks were made by the Economic and Technological Development Bureau (DSEDT) in a recent written reply to legislator Si Ka Lon, who had raised questions regarding the progress of cooperation between gaming operators and SMEs.

“The Macau government is placing strong emphasis on unlocking the potential of SMEs, encouraging [gaming] operators to deepen partnerships and promote joint development with local enterprises,” said Yau Yun Wah, director of the DSEDT, in the reply.

“This year, we’re taking collaboration a step further by strengthening ties between [gaming] operators and tech firms,” he added. “We’re aligning operational needs with technological solutions, helping to translate scientific research into practical, real-world applications.”

While no specific companies were named in the reply, the DSEDT noted that some gaming operators hosted business matchmaking events this year aimed at promoting “industry-academia-research” collaboration.

In June, the bureau partnered with Sands China to host the “Macau-Hengqin Reverse Business Matching for Industry-Academia-Research Collaboration,” connecting the gaming operator with around 140 representatives from tech firms and academic institutions in Macau and neighbouring Hengqin.

The government said at the time that it hoped more gaming operators and large enterprises would follow suit by offering opportunities for local tech firms and universities to apply their research and solutions in operational settings.

The DSEDT reply also highlighted that since 2016, the government has supported procurement partnership programmes between local chambers of commerce and the six gaming operators, aimed at encouraging operators to source more goods and services from local SMEs.

https://www.macaubusiness.com/macau-boosts-collaboration-between-gaming-ops-and-tech-firms/

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