Macau casino numbers down sharply from peak years

Macau was once referred to informally as “Casinoland” due to the very high number of casinos, particularly for a territory of its size. Currently, and particularly following the recent closure of satellite casinos, the total number of these venues has declined significantly. However, the decline in the total number of casinos had started even before that.

According to statistics reviewed by the Times, in 2019, there were 43 casinos and slot machine halls in Macau, although the number had been even higher in the past. The decline in the number of casinos in Macau appears to have begun around 2017, when the Jimei Casino (located at the former Grand Lapa Hotel) closed.

Concurrently, the former Macau Jockey Club Casino ceased operations after a failed attempt to transfer the venue from the Macau Jockey Club to the Roosevelt Hotel, which was blocked by the government.

Several other casino venues closed due to the impact of Macau’s border closure during the Covid-19 pandemic. Among these was the Diamond Casino, previously located at the Holiday Inn Hotel Macau.

The Diamond closed at the end of 2021 after being acquired in August of the same year by the license holder, SJM. Although the closure is often attributed to the pandemic-related decline in patrons, there was no formal disclosure of the reasons for the closure; the operator acknowledged only the intention not to reopen it when the new Gaming Law took effect in 2023.

Also closing due to the pandemic, and never reopening after that, was Casino Taipa, located at the Regency Art Hotel. The casino’s closure was prompted by the hotel’s designation as a quarantine facility; it never reopened.

Similar to what occurred with Diamond, the Royal Dragon Casino was transferred to SJM’s ownership in 2022 and closed shortly after the new Gaming Law entered into force in 2023.

Also closing in 2022 under similar circumstances were the Rio and President casinos, respectively located at the Rio and President hotels.

The Babylon Casinos at Fisherman’s Wharf also closed around the same time, under the notice that all satellite casinos would have to close by Dec. 31, 2025, pursuant to the new law.

With the announced closure of the 11 satellite casinos still operating in 2025, as well as three of the six Mocha Clubs (slot machine halls) – since the seventh at Macau Tower had also closed during the pandemic transitional period – Macau has seen the number of gambling venues drop to 23, including the merging of the Jai Alai Casino into Casino Oceanus.

The figure indicates a reduction to approximately half the number of venues in Macau just a decade ago. As noted on many occasions, the ZAPE District saw the largest declines, with the number of casino venues falling to almost zero in just two and a half years.

For the time being, and with the exception of the Artyzen Grand Lapa Hotel, which has converted part of the area previously occupied by the Jimei Casino into a MICE venue, all other former casino venues remain closed, with no announced plans for repurposing or reuse.

For now, the hotel units that housed the former casino venues continue to operate, though their future is uncertain and the outlook is gloomy, as the vast majority of their guests were also casino patrons.

Still, for the government and gaming operators, the bid to reduce the number of third-party-operated venues and close them is seen as beneficial for Macau’s image as a tourism destination and is aligned with the goal of diversifying the local economy beyond gaming.

Several market observers, in interviews conducted in 2024 and 2025, have also suggested that the closure of satellite casinos could reduce interest in gambling among small local and Hong Kong players, who were reported to account for a substantial share of these venues’ patrons.