From the accounts reports for 2018, we can see that Sands China is the leading employer in this sector, with more than 28,000 employees. But in these numbers, the company says, there are “2,337 working for hotel partners.” In second place is Galaxy, with 7,000 fewer workers.

It is recalled that 2018 closed with Galaxy and Sands China tied in market share (global revenues). The market share versus number of employee’s ratio also does not match when analysing the following positions: SJM is the third largest employer with 20,400, followed by Melco (15,775) and Wynn, with ‘only’ 12,500 (two integrated resorts).

In terms of total revenue for 2018, Wynn comes in third, just after Sands and Galaxy, followed by SJM and Melco. The smallest employer of the Big-6 is MGM, with 10,375 workers, position proportional to its market share, which was 7.9 percent.

Staff costs

Macau Business research also includes staff costs. But here it is more difficult to make comparisons, since the criteria used by the concessionaires are not equivalent.

Melco, for example, points out that almost HK$7 billion (US$898.1 million) include ‘directors’ emoluments and share-based compensation expenses’ and Sands China notes that its HK$9.7 billion refers to ‘wages, salaries, bonuses, termination costs, pension costs, share -based compensation and other employee benefit expenses.’ Sands China figures are originally presented in US dollars.

Consistent with the total staff numbers, Sands China is the one that spends the most, followed (far away again) by Galaxy. Third is Melco, then SJM and fifth to Wynn, which does not reach HK$5 billion. MGM annually spends HK$3.5 billion with its 10,000 employees.

This month’s edition of Macau Business also includes a special report entirely dedicated to the gambling industry workers, covering such different aspects as stress problems, salary issues or the characteristics of the most desired profession, dealer.