Employment in Macau’s gaming sector declined by 1.1 percent during the February to April period compared to the previous period, falling from 69,600 to 68,800 workers, data from the Statistics and Census Service (DSEC) show.
The reduction of 800 positions in the gaming industry contrasts with broader employment trends in the territory, where total employment increased by 1,400, to reach 373,200, during the same period. The number of employed residents also rose by 1,700 to 281,900, with the labor force totaling 380,600.
Despite the gaming sector employment decline, Macau’s overall unemployment rate remained stable at 1.9 percent, unchanged from the previous reporting period. The unemployment rate among local residents held steady at 2.5 percent, with 7,400 people classified as unemployed.
This employment decline in gaming contrasts sharply with robust growth in the hospitality sector during the first quarter of 2025. Hotel employment surged by 7.2 percent year-on-year, with full-time positions reaching 60,482 – an increase of 4,068 positions compared to 2024, according to separate DSEC data reported by AGB.
However, wage growth in the hotel sector lagged behind employment gains. Average earnings for full-time hotel employees totaled MOP20,090 ($2,505) in March 2025, declining by 1.9 percent from the previous year, despite the expansion in workforce numbers.
