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

The anxiety, depression and sleep quality levels of a sample of 1124 Macau casino dealers are examined in this study which uses a mixed method study with a work-individual-family approach. In total, 113 dealers are interviewed on the impacts of casino employment on their family life. The results of the quantitative analysis shows that over half of the participants (55.4%) have a score that is over the cut-off point for depression, a quarter (25.8%) are considered to have anxiety, and about two-thirds (77%) report poor sleep quality. The qualitative analysis results indicate that despite the financial benefits, family responsibilities and dynamics, such as family activities and plans, parental care and guidance, child-parent interaction and bonding, marital intimacy, communication patterns, and gender roles are negatively affected to some degree by casino employment. Practitioner points: Sensitivity towards work-family conflicts, families-in-transition, gender and class can facilitate engagement and intervention with the families of dealers in Macau Gender is a significant predictor of depression and anxiety levels Respondents with a lower income range have lower quality of sleep Absence from family activities, missed opportunities to carry out parental care, reduced marital intimacy and communication with family members are key concerns.