July 7, 2020 – As the first gaming operator to establish a dedicated Responsible Gaming Team, Galaxy Entertainment Group (“GEG”) has been working closely with different community stakeholders in organizing different training programs and activities to promote responsible gaming. Recently, GEG held a series of GEG Responsible Gaming Program Workshops, Responsible Gaming Committee Training and Building Positive Family Relationships Workshop to deepen team members’ responsible gaming awareness.

Launching the GEG Responsible Gaming Program Workshop in June, GEG plans to hold over 50 sessions and train more than 5,000 team members by the end of August, which will result in a total of 40,000 training hours. Especially designed for GEG’s frontline gaming team members, the workshop comprises of professional knowledge sharing and interactive games. Aimed at training up the participants, the workshop provides them with better insight and guidance on identifying and handling problem gambling behaviors. A number of GEG executives have also attended the different sessions to express their support for the team members. These included Ms. Eileen Lui, Group Director of Human Resources and Administration; Mr. Kevin Kelley, Chief Operating Officer – Macau; Mr. Richard Longhurst, Director of Operations Galaxy Macau™️ & Gaming Development & Optimization Services; Mr. Andy Lee, Deputy Director of Operations of StarWorld Hotel; Mr. Buddy Lam, Senior Vice President of Public Relations of GEG; and Mr. William Gibbon, Senior Vice President of HR Centre of Excellence of Human Resources & Administration of GEG.

In addition, GEG held the Responsible Gaming Committee Training and invited Mr. Davis Fong, the Director of Institute for the Study of Commercial Gaming at the University of Macau, to deliver training to the members of GEG’s Responsible Gaming Committee. During the training, Mr. Fong shared the latest developments of responsible gaming policies and measures in Macau, Responsible Gambling Information Kiosks and Stations and other related services. He said, “A responsible gaming culture is not only conducive to the industry’s health, but also helps support employees’ well-being. It’s a pleasure to share this long-running mission with GEG, and to contribute to their efforts to continue promoting responsible gaming education during this special COVID-19 period. The training they have organized caters to various employee needs, and meets all required health and safety guidance. This is what we are pleased to see in the industry.”

The Responsible Gaming Committee Training has been held annually since 2013. This year, new elements on stress and pandemic-related stress management were introduced. The topics were delivered to the participants by a professional counselor from Sheng Kung Hui Macau Social Services Coordination Office and aimed at assisting participants in paying more attention to their personal well-being and alleviating stress during the pandemic. In addition, GEG also co-hosted the Building Positive Family Relationships Workshop with Macao Catholic Family Advisory Council. Through the workshop, participating team members learnt more about the relationship between stress and gambling addiction, as well as how to handle family members’ addictive behaviors, which helps foster family harmony and well-being.

Since the establishment of the Responsible Gaming Team in 2008, GEG has regularly organized roadshows, training, workshops, and quizzes to instill correct gaming attitude among its team members. These activities have attracted the participation of over 66,000 team members over the years. Meanwhile, GEG regularly reminds team members and their families to gamble rationally and in moderation during festive occasions. Furthermore, counselling services are also made available to team members and their families. Moving forward, GEG will continue to work with different community stakeholders to fulfill its corporate social responsibility and to promote responsible gaming.