Macau church officials worry casinos lure students away from school

Three months before his graduation, Ah Wai quit school and abandoned plans to become a social worker in favor of dealing cards at a newly opened casino in Macau. In January, the 23-year-old Macau resident was promoted to manager; he now monitors operations at gambling tables in the casino, reported UCA News, an Asian church news agency based in Thailand. 'My parents have been unemployed for a long time, and I have a mentally disabled younger brother to look after,' Ah told UCA News. 'Although I would like to pursue studies in social work, relatives and friends have urged me to take up a job with high pay to improve my family's income.'