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Summary
- The study reviewed the functions and efficiency of Macau’s gaming inspectors
- The authors recommend that the DICJ set up an electronic management system
- The study also identified a shortage of inspectors
Macau’s casino gaming regulator, the Gaming Inspection and Coordination Bureau (DICJ) can better perform its inspection duties if its staff is equipped with digital reporting skills. This is one of the findings of a study carried out by two gaming scholars at the Macao Polytechnic University.
Wang Changbin and Ryan Ho Hong Wai‘s paper was recently published in the digital version of the University of Nevada, Las Vegas (UNLV) Gaming Research and Review Journal.
Wang Changbin and Ryan Ho Hong Wai, lecturers at the university’s Center for Gaming and Tourism Studies recently published their research paper “Unveiling Macau Gaming Inspectors: Functions, Conditions and Operations“. The pair looked into the functions and practices of the Macau gaming inspectors and suggested improvements that would help the DICJ develop a more efficient and effective regulatory inspection system.
Macau’s Current Casino Inspection System Inefficient
The regulator continues to supervise the local casino industry by assigning a team of inspectors to dozens of casinos and gambling establishments across the region. The inspectors, who are working 24/7, are responsible for ensuring that all gaming activities throughout Macau are in line with the law.
Their task, which includes information dissemination concerning their on-site inspections, has been fully reliant on paper and oral communication ever since, which, the new study found, could be counterproductive for the entire gaming inspection process.
With information and work messages dispersed mostly in written form, communication breakdowns could occur between shifts, according to the authors.
Digital System Will Enhance Impact
To address this issue, the gaming scholars recommend that the DICJ establish an electronic management system that will assist the gaming inspectors in carrying out their crucial roles. With communications going digital, casino inspections can be conducted more efficiently, while human errors or omissions can also be prevented during the delivery of work messages.
Moreover, the system would also provide the inspectors with direct access to a wide range of regulatory information, allowing them to streamline their work arrangements.
Among other issues identified in the study is the staffing shortage at DICJ. The authors highlighted that the current number of inspectors is disproportionately low compared to the number of gaming venues across the city. The regulator already approved an increase in the number of gaming inspectors, but the shortage is expected to go on for at least two more years owing to the lengthy recruitment and training process.
The scholars suggested the use of mobile on-site inspection and offices to temporarily address the staffing shortage.
