WGM#38 NOV/DEC 2015
The Macau gaming industry is synonymous with junkets. First started by none other than Stanley Ho in the 1960s, these junkets and the VIP gamblers they provide have played a vital role in Macau’s rise over the past decade. However, the recent downturn has changed the landscape in this unique part of the world with the junket business suffering more than any other and a number of VIP rooms being forced to close in Macau over the past 12 months. So what does the future hold? In this issue of WGM, we speak exclusively to the Chairman of one of Macau’s biggest junket operators Tak Chun Group, Mr Levo Chan, about the current gaming climate, his expectations for the coming years and why Tak Chun has expanded while other junkets have slowed right down. Poker fans will enjoy our lengthy and intriguing interview with World Series of Poker (WSOP) Tournament Director Jack Effel who explains just how much goes into organizing the world’s biggest tournament series each and every year as well as regaling us with some of his favorite stories from the past. We tackle the smoking debate as Macau’s legislators decide whether to allow smoking in specially designated smoking lounges or ban the habit altogether, while our responsible gambling series sees us visit one of Macau’s main problem gambling treatment centres. In sport, we look at Manchester United’s big gamble on teen star Anthony Martial as well as examining which of the world’s major sports would benefit most from cracking the lucrative Chinese market. And our resident party animal tells us all about one of Macau’s newest trendy nightspots – Ritz-Carlton Bar & Lounge.
The Macau gaming industry is synonymous with junkets. First started by none other than Stanley Ho in the 1960s, these junkets and the VIP gamblers they provide have played a vital role in Macau’s rise over the past decade.
However, the recent downturn has changed the landscape in this unique part of the world with the junket business suffering more than any other and a number of VIP rooms being forced to close in Macau over the past 12 months. So what does the future hold? In this issue of WGM, we speak exclusively to the Chairman of one of Macau’s biggest junket operators Tak Chun Group, Mr Levo Chan, about the current gaming climate, his expectations for the coming years and why Tak Chun has expanded while other junkets have slowed right down.
Poker fans will enjoy our lengthy and intriguing interview with World Series of Poker (WSOP) Tournament Director Jack Effel who explains just how much goes into organizing the world’s biggest tournament series each and every year as well as regaling us with some of his favorite stories from the past.
We tackle the smoking debate as Macau’s legislators decide whether to allow smoking in specially designated smoking lounges or ban the habit altogether, while our responsible gambling series sees us visit one of Macau’s main problem gambling treatment centres.
In sport, we look at Manchester United’s big gamble on teen star Anthony Martial as well as examining which of the world’s major sports would benefit most from cracking the lucrative Chinese market.
And our resident party animal tells us all about one of Macau’s newest trendy nightspots – Ritz-Carlton Bar & Lounge.
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博 彩<br />
Gaming<br />
上 期 我 们 开 启 了 有 关 负 责 任 博 彩 方 方 面 面<br />
话 题 的 系 列 文 章 , 与 澳 门 负 责 任 博 彩 研 究<br />
及 推 广 的 负 责 人 冯 家 超 博 士 做 了 专 访 。 本<br />
期 我 们 前 往 社 区 , 与 圣 公 会 澳 门 社 会 服 务<br />
处 ( 其 下 属 单 位 圣 公 会 乐 天 伦 赌 博 辅 导 暨<br />
健 康 家 庭 服 务 中 心 是 澳 门 四 个 治 疗 中 心 之<br />
一 , 为 问 题 赌 徒 提 供 辅 导 ) 协 调 主 任 曾 美<br />
芬 (Bonnie Chang) 女 士 进 行 了 一 番 耐<br />
人 寻 味 的 谈 话 。<br />
Ben Blaschke: 感 谢 您 抽 时 间 接 受 我 们 的 访 问 。 在 帮<br />
助 那 些 饱 受 赌 博 成 瘾 问 题 困 扰 的 人 方 面 , 您 扮 演 了 重 要<br />
角 色 。 首 先 , 澳 门 的 问 题 赌 博 有 多 常 见 ?<br />
Bonnie Chang: 据 官 方 统 计 , 澳 门 人 赌 博 失 调 的 比 率<br />
由 2007 年 的 6% 下 降 至 2013 年 的 2.8%。 在 统 计 学 上 , 这 是<br />
一 个 参 巧 数 据 , 科 学 化 地 反 映 了 一 个 整 体 状 况 , 也 是 澳<br />
门 需 要 继 续 努 力 及 持 守 的 指 标 。 而 前 线 服 务 上 , 求 助 的<br />
年 龄 层 不 乏 有 年 青 及 中 老 年 求 助 者 。 在 我 们 的 服 务 数 字<br />
中 , 以 41 至 60 岁 的 中 壮 年 求 助 者 为 主 , 占 整 体 的 52.1%。<br />
值 得 关 注 的 是 ,30 岁 以 下 的 求 助 者 占 了 22%, 说 明 澳 门 也<br />
有 一 批 年 青 人 受 赌 博 失 调 影 响 。 社 会 应 避 免 赌 博 年 轻 化<br />
现 象 , 否 则 将 对 未 来 社 会 发 展 造 成 很 大 挑 战 。<br />
BB: 您 的 病 人 是 如 何 找 到 治 疗 中 心 的 ? 他 们 直 接 找 来 ,<br />
还 是 通 过 另 一 方 的 介 绍 ?<br />
BC: 大 多 数 求 助 者 是 透 过 宣 传 刊 物 或 机 构 介 绍 而 认 识 本<br />
中 心 的 服 务 。 他 们 会 先 致 电 戒 赌 热 线 , 试 探 性 地 了 解 中<br />
Last issue we sat down with the man responsible for the<br />
study and promotion of responsible gambling in Macau,<br />
Dr Davis Fong, in the first of a series of stories on various<br />
aspects of responsible gambling. This time we’ve headed<br />
out into the community for an intriguing chat with Ms<br />
Bonnie Chang, Service Coordinator of Sheng Kung Hui<br />
Macau Social Services Coordination Office which oversees<br />
Sheng Kung Hui Gambling Counseling and Family Wellness<br />
Centre – one of four treatment centres in Macau where<br />
problem gamblers can get the help they need.<br />
Ben Blaschke: Thanks for taking the time to speak with us Bonnie. You<br />
play a vital role in helping people whose lives have been destroyed<br />
by their gambling addictions. First of all, how common is problem<br />
gambling in Macau?<br />
Bonnie Chang: According to official statistics, the ratio of Macau’s<br />
gambling disorder has declined from 6 percent in 2007 to 2.8<br />
percent in 2013. From a statistics point of view, this is reference data.<br />
It scientifically reflects the overall situation and is also an index that<br />
Macau needs to continue to work on and maintain. On the frontline<br />
there is no lack of young, middle-aged and elderly people seeking<br />
help. In our services data, those who seek help are mainly between<br />
the ages of 41 to 60, which accounts for 52.1 percent of clients. It’s also<br />
worth noting that those under 30 years of age account for 22 percent<br />
which shows that a number of young people in Macau are affected<br />
by a gambling disorder. Society should avoid gambling among the<br />
younger generation or it will be a great challenge to their social<br />
development in the future.<br />
BB: How do your patients end up at your treatment centre. Do they<br />
come to you directly or are they referred through another party?<br />
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