The Macau Family-in-Transition: The Perceived Impact of Casino Employment on Family Relationships Among Dealer Families

Abstract

Although there is growing consideration of the negative impacts that are instigated by the booming gaming industry on the physical health and job satisfaction of casino employees in Macau, a critical research gap exists in the understanding of the perceived impacts of casino employment on the family life of the dealers. By drawing on evidence from a qualitative study carried out in Macau, the specifics of the changes in the family lives among dealer families and how family relationships have been affected by casino employment will be explored and analyzed in this paper. With a focus-group-interview design, 113 casino dealers have been interviewed in terms of the impacts of casino employment on their family relationships. The findings suggest that while there has been undeniably a positive change in terms of the financial situation of the family, this has neither improved family bonding, nor led to a large-scale transformation of family relations in the direction of greater harmony and functionality. Yet even though there are conflicting views on the perceived impacts of casino employment on their spousal, parental and overall family relationships, the study participants generally agree that the fatigue and incompatibility of schedules that are resultant of casino work impose significant challenges in their parental role. The paper concludes with recommendations to address the issues found in this study.

Co‐constructing family therapy in the Asian Chinese family diasporas of mainland China, Malaysia, Macau, Singapore and Taiwan

“…Some academics have considered the phenomenon of ‘absent parents’ in Macau, where many parents have to work the night shift in casinos (Chan et al ., ; van Schalkwyk, Tran and Chang, ). When the children come home from school, their parents are getting ready for work or have already left for work.…”

“…They also work in shifts, which reduces time with their family. In balancing work commitments and family relationships, they may experience stress, which can also negatively affect their marital relationship (Chan, Kwok and Siu, ).…”

“…Family therapists may find it challenging to resolve work–family conflicts (Chan et al ., ; Hing and Breen, 2005) that are the product of a larger system beyond the control of family members. However, focusing on work–family conflicts can work well as an entry point for engaging the families.…”

A work‐individual‐family inquiry on mental health and family responsibilities of dealers employed in the Macau gaming industry

“…Chan et al . () indicated that the families‐in‐transition phenomenon is now relevant to Macau, in that dealer families are undergoing changes due to the impact of casino employment. While financially positive, this has neither improved family bonding nor led to a large‐scale transformation of family relations with greater harmony and functionality.…”

“…In family therapy, working with impoverished families has been carried out against the implications of working with larger systems (Minuchin et al ., ). However, it is challenging for family therapists in Macau to negotiate with casino enterprises and the social system (Chan et al ., ) to address the poor sleep quality of dealers, particularly those with lower incomes. In addressing this problem, therapists should be sensitive not only to work‐family stress but also the linkage between financial burden and poor sleep quality, and thus consider socio‐economic background by establishing a platform that alleviates financial concerns.…”