Macau legislator Ron Lam delivered a pointed pre-agenda speech at the Legislative Assembly on Wednesday (June 11), renewing his call for the government to reduce the number of foreign casino workers employed by gaming concessionaires. His comments were sparked by the recent news that all 11 of Macau’s remaining satellite casinos, along with three slot parlors, the SJM, Galaxy and Melco, are set to shut down by the end of the year. The move is expected to affect thousands of jobs.
According to government figures Lam shared, around 5,600 people will be impacted. Of those, about 4,800 are local workers employed by the major casino operators, and 800 work directly for the satellite casino owners. On top of that, another 300 locals will be out of work when the slot parlors close.
The government has told the gaming companies they need to keep these affected workers employed, and they’ve also urged the satellite casino operators to handle the transition responsibly for their own staff. But Lam isn’t convinced it’s all going to go smoothly and he raised doubts about whether this plan is actually realistic.
Macau government urged to cut foreign casino workers
Speaking to the Legislative Assembly (translated to English), he said: “Although the three concessionaires have publicly stated they will reassign affected staff to their other properties and invite local workers not directly hired by them to apply for suitable positions, they have not addressed whether hotel staff not working inside casinos will be impacted, and how those workers would be accommodated.
“Given the current sluggish employment climate in Macau, whether the concessionaires are truly capable of absorbing over 5,000 workers is highly questionable. Meanwhile, shops surrounding the satellite casinos will also be affected, and residents are fearing a wave of unemployment that will further cripple the local economy.”
Lam also voiced concern over what he called unjustified dismissals of local workers, especially those employed by concessionaires pulling out of satellite casino operations. He said several employees had come to him for help after being let go without any clear reason or explanation, raising serious questions about how these layoffs are being handled.
“I have repeatedly asked the authorities to follow up on these cases and to discuss solutions to Macau’s employment issues, but the government has failed to respond as promised,” he said.
“Instead, they have merely instructed the companies to explain dismissals, while the concessionaires continue to hide behind the excuse that ‘no reason is needed during probation.’ This is an abdication of social responsibility.”
He added that these incidents reflected broader, systemic problems: “These cases are only the tip of the iceberg. What urgently needs to be addressed is Macau’s overall employment policy.”
Protections for local workers
Lam also criticized the government for not responding to a written inquiry he submitted back on March 6. In the inquiry, he pushed for clear targets to cut down on foreign labor in the casino industry in Macau and called for stronger job protections for local workers. The lack of any reply, he said, only adds to concerns about how seriously the government is taking these issues. “To this day [June 11] the government has yet to respond, in violation of Article 15 of Legislative Council Resolution No. 2/2004, which requires the Chief Executive to respond within 30 days,” Lam said.
It later came to light that the government had actually responded on March 25. However, due to a clerical error, the Legislative Assembly never passed the reply on to Lam or uploaded it online, leaving him in the dark.
During his speech, Lam also shared that by the end of March 2025, the six major gaming operators were employing nearly 33,000 non-resident workers, a sharp 73% increase compared to the end of 2022. In contrast, the number of local employees grew by just 3% during the same period. For Lam, this widening gap is yet another reason to question the government’s commitment to prioritizing local labor.
Despite the government frequently organizing job fairs, Lam said that many jobseekers had told him the process was a sham. “Many employers have no intention of interviewing or hiring,” he said. “Applicants are often told by phone that they don’t meet the requirements, with no interview arranged. Yet the government job platform will later show a ‘failed interview’ result. This raises serious doubts about whether these job fairs are simply a ‘fixed process’ used to justify foreign labor applications.”
Suspected illegal employment
Lam also expressed alarm at recent events hosted by casinos where suspected illegal workers were allegedly employed. “At a recent large-scale concert, many suspected illegal workers were seen working part-time selling goods, with online posts offering ‘MOP 200 a day plus commission, accommodation included.’ Similar issues were seen at past exhibitions,” he said. He accused the government of failing to enforce regulations, saying, “Due to wage disparities and the government’s lenient foreign labor policies—combined with weak enforcement against illegal labor—Macau’s job market is increasingly distorted, seriously harming local employment and social cohesion.”
Lam said: “I again urge the government to swiftly reduce the number of foreign workers employed by the six gaming concessionaires. They should follow the precedent set by job categories such as croupiers and professional drivers, which are not open to foreign workers.” He also urged the government to tighten regulations and step up enforcement against illegal employment, arguing that these measures are crucial for bringing fairness and opportunity back to Macau’s labor market.
Ho Ion Sang, who was elected through indirect suffrage, shared his concerns about the upcoming closures, saying they “will affect the employment of a significant number of local workers.” He pointed out that in the first quarter of 2025, Macau’s overall unemployment rate had risen slightly to 1.9%, with the rate for local residents at 2.5%. Both figures showed a small increase from the previous quarter.
Given the situation, fellow lawmaker Ella Lei stressed the importance of government action, saying, “The government must closely follow the placement of these workers, safeguarding their wages, holidays, and benefits.”
Featured image: Canva / Synergy of Macao via YouTube
