Macau’s Chief Executive Edmund Ho Hau-wah has announced that Macau legislation is set to increase the gambling age from 18 to 21 in the undecided future. The move was explained by the legislator as a way of cooling the gigantic growth of the local casino economy and to help alleviate the social costs of the casino industry to the local population. Macau has already surpassed Las Vegas in gambling revenue by over $1 billion and sets to continue that record with over 60,000 people crossing it’s borders from China each day.

The major social cost that the Macau government is trying to address is that many young 18 year olds are leaving school and are applying directly to work in the booming casino industry rather than going to college to further their education. With so many young adults already channelling themselves in the workforce, this has left other industries in Macau without young labour and dropping application numbers at the local universities. All the current 18 year olds working in the casino will not have to lose their jobs since the government will introduce a three year grace period with the rule to ensure that the current workers can remain in their positions.

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