Macau, China, July 23, 2026 (Lusa) - A philosophy academic argued on Thursday that a utilitarian approach is applied to the gambling industry, stating that, although the sector is traditionally viewed as immoral, it is of «great importance» to Macau.
«It is traditionally considered that the gambling industry is immoral. If the positive outcomes outweigh the negative ones, then we can implement a morally and ethically justifiable policy,» Wang Qingjie, a professor of philosophy at the University of Macau (UM), began by telling journalists on the sidelines of the opening ceremony of the International Society for Utilitarian Studies Conference.
The gambling industry «is of great importance» to Macau, Wang continued, referring to the casinos, the main driver of the economy of the semi-autonomous Chinese territory.
Utilitarianism holds that an individual's moral actions should promote the well-being and interests of the public, but it also «emphasises consequences», he argued; therefore, «when we judge whether an action is good or bad, we do not base that judgement on our ideas, traditions or customs, but rather on its results».
«How do we justify it morally? How do we uphold it?», he asked. «In traditional societies, this would be impossible. This is a very important application, specifically its application in Macau,» he argued.
Confucianism, widely practised in traditional Chinese societies, focuses on personal morality, social harmony and duty, and «tends to devalue utilitarianism», Wang pointed out.
Macau is the only territory in China where casino gambling is legal. Gambling is prohibited throughout the mainland under Chinese law, and any form of betting by Chinese citizens, including online gambling, is considered illegal.
Comparing utilitarianism with Chinese philosophical traditions, Wang emphasised that this school of thought bears similarities to Mohism, which belongs to the ancient Chinese philosophical school and was one of the rival schools to early Confucianism. «Whether we consider a policy to be good or bad depends on its outcome,» he stated.
Another researcher present at the conference, Li Qing, from Fudan University in Shanghai, noted that utilitarianism was introduced to China via Japan, originating from Britain. The academic highlighted that this is the first year the conference of the International Society for Utilitarian Studies has been held in China.
«Previously, research in this area in China was not particularly in-depth. However, as the field has developed, it has become recognised that utilitarianism remains a concept worthy of promotion,» emphasised Li Qing.
The researcher added that this theory remains relevant today, citing artificial intelligence as an example. «The development of related industries must take ethics and safety into account, and these ethics encompass principles such as utilitarianism,» he explained.
According to the organisation, the International Society for Utilitarian Studies is the leading academic forum for researchers, philosophers and scholars specialising in utilitarianism and the work of Jeremy Bentham, the founder of modern utilitarianism.
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