Inside Asian Gaming

INSIDE ASIAN GAMING | March 2014 16 Eighteen properties failed for PM2.5. These were the Wynn/ Encore Macau complex, two of Galaxy’s City Clubs casinos and 15 properties affiliated with SJM: the Lisboa and the Oceanus/Jai Alai complex, three slot venues (one of them since closed) and the rest third-party operated. Ms Leong, who has emerged as SJM’s voice on the smoking issue, responded soon after the results were publicized, saying the company would act quickly to make improvements. Which it did. In October, the results of a second round of tests were released, showing failures reduced to 16 properties market-wide. But Secretary for Social Affairs and Culture Cheong U pronounced the results“unsatisfactory,”and the Health Bureau ordered the offenders to submit plans to reduce their approved smoking areas by 10%, as the rules prescribe. By the middle China — Smoking Prevalence by Age and Gender Male % Female % 15 – 19 17 0.5 20 – 24 41 0.86 25 – 29 44 0.65 30 – 34 48 1.2 35 – 39 52 1.5 40 – 44 56 2.4 45 – 49 58 2.4 50 – 54 57 2.8 55 – 59 53 3.2 60 – 64 49 3.5 65 – 69 43 5.5 70 – 74 38 5.7 Source: “Smoking Prevalence and Cigarette Consumption in 187 Countries, 1980-2012,” University of Washington Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation “The government doesn’t know the difference between 50% of floor area and 50% of gaming tables, and that’s why we’re inhaling more cigarette smoke. If they don’t use the number of tables instead of floor areas for measuring non-smoking areas, the new rule should be scrapped, otherwise we only suffer more.” — Forefront of Macau Gaming In Focus