Research into local casino operators’ practices between 2012 and 2021 revealed that most concessionaires were not forthcoming enough when it came to disclosing information requested by Macao’s government, Asia Gaming Brief reports.
Conducted by the Asia Pacific Association for Gambling Studies, the study notes that many key data points – the likes of local employment figures and numbers around procurement from local businesses – were either missing or provided late, in some cases years after being requested.
Co-author Zeng Jia said her team’s analysis revealed “a pattern where gaming operators often delay or provide inadequate responses to stakeholder expectations, particularly in areas critical to social responsibility and community engagement.”
The study was based on the government’s annual policy reports, annual reports, and ESG (standing for environmental, social and governance) disclosures of the six gaming companies, their websites and financial results from between 2012 and 2021.
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It noted that MGM Macau and Galaxy were the best at providing requested information, albeit with delays of two or three years, followed by Sands. SJM, Melco and Wynn have been Macao’s least responsive gaming operators.
Lead researcher Zheng Zhonglu said the lack of data made it “challenging to make accurate assessments” of how well the concessionaires contributed to Macao’s economic diversification, supported small-and-medium-sized enterprises, implemented responsible gaming practices and boosted local employment during the period.
It is important to note that the data included in the study was from before the SAR’s six gaming operators were awarded their latest 10-year-concessions, which happened in 2022 and required the operators to undertake a more hands-on role in both Macao’s economy and residents’ day-to-day lives.
However, Zeng and Zheng’s research team noted that they still believed their study provided a strong case for quantifying the fulfilment of social responsibilities by gaming companies – and ensuring the lack of transparency concessionaires had previously shown was now firmly in the past.
