About one in three Macau casino employees reported severe or extremely severe anxiety, highlighting the psychological strain facing workers in the city’s gaming industry.
The study, conducted mainly by researchers from the University of Saint Joseph in Macau and accepted for publication in BMC Psychology, surveyed 563 full-time employees from six major integrated resort companies between October and December 2023.
Using the 21-item Depression Anxiety Stress Scale, researchers found that 33.9 percent of respondents fell into the severe or extremely severe anxiety categories.
A further 18.7 percent reported moderate anxiety, bringing the proportion experiencing moderate to extremely severe symptoms to 52.6 percent. Meanwhile, 16 percent reported severe or extremely severe depression. Severe stress affected 4.1 percent, with another 0.6 percent classified as extremely severe.
The study also examined the relationship between coping strategies, job fatigue and psychological health. Some 63.9 percent of respondents turned to friends or colleagues for emotional support, while 55.9 percent sought support from family members.
Such interpersonal support was associated with lower levels of fatigue, depression, anxiety and stress. Leisure activities were also linked to reduced fatigue, while gambling-related coping behaviors were associated with poorer psychological health.
The authors said emotional health in high-demand service industries should be viewed as ‘a systemic result shaped by organizational structure, work schedules, and cultural norms.’
They recommended that casino operators strengthen employee assistance programs, confidential counseling and peer-support arrangements. More balanced shift rotations, designated breaks and fatigue risk management systems could also help reduce occupational exhaustion.
