by D. G. Lum
Stephen, an associate of mine, recently told me about his ghostly experience with a prostitute during one of his business trips to Macao, back when he worked as an executive for a slot machine manufacturer. His story took place in the early morning one day in June of 2009.
Stephen flew in from the United States to attend the Global Gaming Expo Asia (G2E Asia). The year’s G2E Asia was exciting because it coincided with the opening of the City of Dreams, a new development costing hundreds of million dollars to build. Opposite the City of Dreams is the five-star hotel where Stephen would be staying.
It was a long flight and by the time Stephen arrived in Macao (via Hong Kong) it was around midnight local time. Although the street outside the Macao ferry terminal was quiet, there was a short queue for taxis. It was 1:30 a.m. by the time Stephen got into his hotel room. This was his first time staying in this hotel, and he loved it. Eager to see the new City of Dreams, Stephen made his way to the new property just across the street, even though it was late at night. He strolled through the new casino built by Lawrence Ho (son of Asian gambling tycoon Dr. Stanley Ho) and James Packer (son of Australian gambling tycoon Kerry Packer), had supper, and played a few rounds of roulette.
By 3:20 a.m., Stephen felt sleepiness creeping in and decided to head back to his hotel room. “There’s a meeting tomorrow morning… I’d better go,” he thought to himself and walked out of the City of Dreams casino.
Outside the City of Dreams, the air was crisp and calm. Stephen could see his hotel, which was right across the road. As he walked into the hotel and towards the elevator, Stephen felt a gambling itch and decided to hop onto an empty seat for a couple of rounds of baccarat. There were many seats available, given the time of the night. Only a few people were gambling and the casino floor was rather quiet. “This is an unusual scene for a casino,” thought Stephen as he read his cards.
After four losses, Stephen decided to stop. It was just not his night. He needed to rest. Sleepy, tired, and probably suffering from jet lag, he slowly made his way to his hotel suite in the north wing. At the north elevator lobby, the lights went out just before Stephen stepped into the lift, and he could hardly see. The security guard took a quick look at the ceiling and then went to call for help.
“What a night of bad luck!” Stephen said softly to himself. “I bet the lift is not working too!”
Just then, one of the elevators opened and lights flooded the lift lobby. Stephen thought he was alone but heard some footsteps some distance away from him. Without hesitation, he walked into the empty lift.
Exhausted, Stephen closed his eyes for a split second and then pressed the lift button. He took a sigh and then stepped backward while the door closed in front of him. He leaned against the back of the lift to get some relief for his tired body. The agony of long-distance flying had finally caught up with him.
At this moment, he felt a cold shiver run down his spine. Something caught his eye when he moved to the back of the lift. It was a strange feeling. He could sense someone at the other corner. His eyes caught a glimpse of a white-faced figure: a lady dressed in pink. Stephen looked up spontaneously and, sure enough, saw a slim, well-dressed lady in the corner opposite the one where he was standing. She had a porcelain face, as white as you could imagine.
“How did she get into the lift? I thought it was empty,” Stephen wondered, just as the lights in the lift blinked briefly. He looked up as he moved toward the front corner of the lift and the lights flickered again.
“Do you want a massage?” whispered a gentle voice from the back of the lift. Stephen felt a dilemma. He had an eerie feeling about the whole encounter and decided to ignore the question.
“I said, do you want a massage?” It was the same voice again but slightly louder this time.
Stephen raised his left hand and waved it briefly to show that he was not interested. The fact was, he was too afraid to even look back or talk to the lady. His gut was telling him that she was not human. He just tried to stare at the blinking lights that displayed the floor level that the lift was currently at, hoping the door would open soon.
“Want a massage?” The voice grew even louder the third time. This time, Stephen could feel the floor trembling, as though the creature behind him was stamping her foot.
Just then, the door opened. Stephen stepped out as quickly as he could, without turning his head back. Deep inside him, he was praying that the creature would not follow him out.
“Massage please?” This time, the voice was softer and gentler.
Stephen ran as fast as he could from the lift lobby to his hotel room. He felt safer now but still sensed that something was behind him (although it got further and further away). As he tried to open the door with his card key, he turned to his side and saw the distant lights in the hotel corridor flickering. Once inside his room, Stephen slammed his door and locked it. Moving to the back of his suite, he could still hear footsteps from outside, but eventually they faded.
That night, Stephen could not get to sleep. His eyes were constantly watching the door. He was too frightened to call anyone for help as he thought no one would believe his story. The next day, Stephen checked out of the hotel. It was a trip he would never forget. It was a night where a ghost prostitute had decided to pay him a visit.
It is rumored that some prostitutes love to gamble along with their customers. They sit beside them, serving and humoring these ‘bosses’ at the gambling tables. At times, these prostitutes too join in the game. Often, small wins lead to more betting and losses accumulate. To finance their losses, these female gamblers borrow money from families, friends, and even loan sharks. Debt collectors chase and hustle these Chinese prostitutes back to their hometowns. Things can get nasty when the debt collectors cannot get back their money. There are rumors that some of these prostitutes have to offer their bodies to the loan sharks as repayment, while others are forced to do so without their consent. Some would rather die. A few of these who died now come back to haunt those casinos that caused them their lives.
Facts about Gambling in Singapore, Malaysia and Macao
Singapore
The country had more than 11 million visitors in 2010; Indonesia, China, Malaysia, Australia and India constituted the top five visitor-generating markets.
The country now has two casinos, each with a floor size limited to 15,000 square meters.
In a survey conducted in 2004-5, respondents spent an average of S$244 per person per month betting on various games in Singapore, compared to pathological gamblers, who spent an average of S$637 per person per month. These figures are based on the past year of participation.
In a 2007 survey, 65% of the respondents believed ‘Gambling is very likely to lead to an unhappy life,’ 66% thought ‘If you keep gambling frequently, you will be poorer in the end,’ and 81% agreed that ‘Gambling can be very addictive.’
Roughly 2.1% of the population* (18 years old and above) are probable pathological gamblers and 2% are probable problem gamblers (2004/5). These figures are based on the past year of participation. Pathological gamblers are severe problem gamblers, as measured by a ten-item DSM-IV questionnaire. DSM-IV is a common screening questionnaire for problem gambling developed by the American Psychiatric Association (APA).
Malaysia
The country has only one legal casino: Casino De Genting at Resorts World Genting.
In 2010, Resorts World Genting attracted almost 20 million visitors. It offers six hotels with approximately 10,000 rooms and more than 210 dining areas as well as shopping outlets.
There are 200,000 square feet of gambling space in Casino De Genting, with approximately 3,000 slot machines and 500 table games.
The country offers no official data on pathological or problem gambling.
Macao
The region covers the land area of less than 30 square kilometers, with a population more than 550,000.
Roughly 20 million people visit Macao each year, and more than 50% are from Mainland Chi
na.
In 2011, the region boasts thirty-four casinos operated by S.J.M, Venetian Macao, Wynn Resorts Macao, Galaxy Casino, MGM Grand Paradise and Melco Crown Jogos (Macao).
The gross casino gambling revenue came close to US$24 billion in 2010.
The casinos have more than 15,000 slot machines and 5,000 gambling tables in 2011.
Baccarat is the most popular game, with revenue exceeding 90% of Macao’s gross casino gambling revenue.
Roughly 2.6% of the population (15-64 years old) are probable pathological gamblers and 3.4% are probable problem gamblers (2007). These figures are based on the past year of participation.
Probable Problem/Pathological Gambling Screening Criteria
The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-IV) was developed by the American Psychiatric Association (APA). It includes a popular ten-item screening questionnaire for problem gambling.
Problem gambling is often defined as the continuation of gambling despite harms caused by the gambler to himself, family, relatives, or those around him. A person is diagnosed as a probable problem gambler if s/he has three to four of the symptoms described below. If the person has five or more of the symptoms, s/he can be considered a probable pathological gambler. The ten questions are:
Preoccupation - Is the person preoccupied with gambling (e.g., preoccupied with reliving past gambling experiences, handicapping or planning the next venture, or thinking of ways to get money with which to gamble)?
Tolerance - Does the person need to gamble with increasing amounts of money in order to achieve the desired excitement?
Withdrawal - Is the person restless or irritable when attempting to cut down or stop gambling?
Escape - Does the person gamble as a way of escaping from problems or relieving dysphoric moods (e.g. feelings of depression, guilt, anxiety, or depression)?
Chasing - Does the person, after losing money gambling, often return another day in order to get even (‘chasing one’s losses’)?
Lying - Does the person lie to family members, therapists, or others to conceal the extent of involvement with gambling?
Loss of control - Has the person made repeated unsuccessful efforts to control, cut back, or stop gambling?
Illegal acts - Has the person committed illegal acts (e.g., forgery, fraud, theft, or embezzlement) in order to finance gambling?
Risking significant relationship - Has the person jeopardized or lost a significant relationship, job, or educational or career opportunity because of gambling?
Bailout - Has the person relied on others to provide money to relieve a desperate financial situation caused by gambling?
Source: Gerstein et al. (1999)
Useful References
Fong, D. K. C. and Ozorio, B. (2005.), “Gambling Participation and Prevalence Estimates of Pathological Gambling in a Far-East Gambling City: Macao”, UNLV Gaming Research & Review Journal, 9 (2), 15–28.
Gerstein, D. R., et al. (1999), Gambling Impact and Behavior Study: Report to the National Gambling Impact Study Commission, Chicago, IL: National Opinion Research Center at the University of Chicago.
Lam, D. (2009), The World of Chinese Gambling, Singapore, ISBN: 978-0-646-51773-5.
Luciana Leitão (2011), “Sex, Money and Family”, Macau Business. Retrieved from: http://www.macaubusiness.com/news/sex-money-and-family-2/10966/
Macao’s Gaming Inspection and Coordination Bureau - www.dicj.gov.mo
Macao’s Statistics and Census Service - www.dsec.gov.mo
Macao’s Institute for the Study of Commercial Gaming - www.umac.mo/iscg
Ministry of Community Development, Youth and Sports (2005), Report of Survey on Participation in Gambling Activities among Singapore Residents, Singapore: Ministry of Community Development, Youth and Sports, Singapore. Retrieved from: http://www.stopproblemgambling.org.sg/research/05/GamblingSurveyReport2005.pdf
Ministry of Community Development, Youth and Sports. (2008), Report of Survey on Participation in Gambling Activities among Singapore Residents, Singapore: Ministry of Community Development, Youth and Sports, Singapore. Retrieved from: http://www.mcys.gov.sg/MCDSFiles/Resource/Materials/GamblingSurveyReport2008.pdf
National Council on Problem Gambling (2007), Survey on the Perceptions and Attitudes towards Gambling Issues in Singapore, Singapore: National Council on Problem Gambling, Singapore. Retrieved from: http://www.ncpg.org.sg/research/Media%20Release%20on%202007%20PE%20Survey__Final_.pdf
Resort World Genting - www.rwgenting.com
Resorts World Sentosa - www.rwsentosa.com
Sentosa on Wikipedia - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sentosa#History
Singapore Tourism Board - www.stb.gov.sg
Singapore’s Ministry of Community Development, Youth and Sports - www.mcys.gov.sg
Sook Ching Massacre on Wikipedia - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sook_Ching_massacre#Aftermath