Three representatives of the Sheng Kung Hui (S.K.H.) 24 Hour Hotline and Online Gambling Counselling Services Centre said during a press conference on Friday that the number of people seeking help from the centre during the first two months of the easing of Macau’s travel restrictions between Hong Kong and the mainland increased by 20 percent compared to January and February last year.
The representatives added that among the help-seekers, the number of people from the mainland and Hong Kong increased by a combined 48 percent, while the number of local residents rose by 16 percent.
The representatives pointed out that as Macau’s economy and tourism are gradually recovering, the number of people seeking help from the centre was expected to increase as well.
The press conference was held at the S.K.H. Taipa Youth and Family Integrated Service Centre on Rua do Regedor.
Sheng Kung Hui (聖公會) is the Cantonese name for the Anglican Church.
According to the representatives, there were 2,928 calls for help last year, down by about nearly 10 percent from 2021. They noted that the majority of those seeking help were young people aged between 19 and 35, accounting for 61 percent of the total.
Nearly 20 percent of the help-seekers have mental or emotional health problems due to gambling, the representative pointed out.
The main types of gambling are baccarat, accounting for 65 percent of the whole, and sports betting – the increase in the number of people seeking help was due to the Football World Cup in November – accounting for 16 percent of the total, according to the representatives.
The press conference noted that 20 percent of the people seeking help have only been gambling for one year or less, showing the increasing effectiveness of the community in promoting responsible gambling, while occasional gamblers have become more aware of gambling disorder risks and, therefore, are actively seeking help.
According to the press conference, the centre has logged 20,000 people-times since it started operating in 2014.
With the increasing awareness of responsible gambling and cognitive dissonance vis-à-vis gambling behaviour among locals and tourists, fearing that their relatives and friends will know about their predicament, most young people tend to search the internet for a “cure” when they perceive symptoms of problem gambling, the representatives said.
Meanwhile, responding to the increased number of those with gambling problems searching online for solutions, the centre launched on Friday an online gambling rehab platform to help seekers easily assess the risk of gambling disorders and obtain relevant information and counselling services, aiming to provide positive information and raise awareness of gambling abstinence through the platform.
Lao Mei I, a representative of the Sheng Kung Hui (S.K.H.) 24 Hours Hotline and Online Gambling Counselling Services Centre, talks to reporters on the sidelines of Friday’s press conference at the S.K.H. Taipa Youth and Family Integrated Service Centre on Rua do Regedor. – Photo courtesy of TDM
