Citi: Operators accelerate rollout of smart gaming tables

Macau’s gaming industry is undergoing a technological transformation, with a surge in the deployment of smart gaming tables across its gaming floors.

Several operators have now modernized all mass baccarat tables in key areas, signaling a rapid adoption of this advanced technology,  according to analysts at Citigroup.

Citi’s analysts George Choi and Timothy Chau highlighted yesterday six prominent mass and premium mass gaming zones across the city now fully equipped with smart gaming tables.

These areas include the primary gaming floors at The Venetian Macao, Crowne Plaza and Studio City, as well as Galaxy Macau’s Horizon Room, Wynn Palace’s Diamond Club, and Wynn Encore.

Additionally, they noted a substantial increase in the number of smart tables in the grind mass areas of Wynn Macau, Wynn Palace and Galaxy Macau.

The surge in smart table deployment aligns with statements from industry operators during recent earnings calls.

Both Galaxy Entertainment Group and Wynn have expressed their intentions to finalize the full rollout of smart tables across their properties by the Chinese New Year.

During Wynn’s earnings call earlier this month, Wynn Resorts CEO Craig Billings said about a quarter of the company’s Macau table inventory is now equipped with smart technology, with plans for a complete rollout by late January.

Billings emphasized the advantages of smart tables, particularly in leveraging precise bet-by-bet data for innovative marketing strategies.

The insights from Citi’s monthly Macau table survey also point to a robust demand for premium gaming, with high-stakes players increasingly active.

Market data revealed a 29% year-on-year increase in total wagers, reaching HKD12.2 million, along with a 21% rise in the number of premium mass players to 514.

In its November survey of casino table play, Citi reported the presence of “the largest whale ever” during what analysts deemed a “slow month.”

The term “whales” refers to players who wager HKD100,000 or more.

This player accounted for about 18% of the total value of bets recorded in the latest survey, with an outlay of HKD12.2 million, which included a wager of HKD200,000 on the side bet option “Lucky 7.”

Overall, the aggregate market-wide wagers observed in the November survey rose 29% year-on-year to HKD12.2 million, driven by improvements in both the quality and quantity of players.

Melco Resorts emerged as a key player, exhibiting significant market share gains in this dynamic landscape.

Choi and Chau said the strategic deployment of smart gaming tables and the introduction of new side bets by casino operators are indicative of a broader industry trend aimed at boosting gross gaming revenue (GGR) through enhanced game velocity and improved hold rates. Victoria Chan