Galaxy pulls high rollers with non-gaming appeal despite storm

Galaxy Macau stood out in Citigroup’s latest table survey, with the investment bank noting that weekend volleyball matches helped draw affluent gamblers even as Typhoon Noul weighed on overall casino traffic.

In a note Monday, Citi analysts George Choi and Timothy Chau said they were “more than surprised by the lively crowd we saw and the whales we ran into at Galaxy Macau” during their survey.

In the recent survey, Citi noted that Friday’s foot traffic across Macau casinos was lighter than usual due to a typhoon warning.

However, Galaxy Macau saw stronger activity tied to the “FIVB Women’s Volleyball Nations League – Finals Macao 2026,” held from July 22 to 26 at the Macau East Asian Games Dome. Galaxy Entertainment Group co-organized and sponsored the event.

During the survey period, Citi reported that the resort captured an exceptional 43% share of Macau’s premium mass volume, making it the standout performer among tracked properties.

Moreover, the three largest bettors observed in July by Citi were all at Galaxy Macau.

One player wagered HKD600,000 at Pavilion South, while two others bet HKD440,000 and HKD300,000 in the Horizon Room.

Across other Macau properties, Citi observed a high-value Korean player wagering HKD100,000 at MGM Macau’s Supreme Room.

On July 18, as part of non-gaming efforts designed to attract affluent patrons, MGM Macau hosted a members-only concert featuring Chinese rock singer Wang Feng.

The bank’s total observed wagers reached HKD13 million – up 33% from its June survey, though still 19% below year-ago levels. The number of premium mass players observed fell 15% year-over-year to 581, implying a 5% decline in the average wager per player.

Overall, Citi said its recent survey findings reinforced the view that well-chosen non-gaming offerings can successfully attract wealthy mainland Chinese visitors to Macau and encourage higher spending upon arrival.

“Knowing the popularity of the sport in China, Galaxy strategically organized numerous events around the tournament,” the Citi analysts wrote, citing an autograph session with Team China and other national teams. “We would not be surprised if some good tickets were reserved for its top players.”

Citi added that some players may have delayed their trips to Macau due to the weather.