Macau premium mass resilient in ‘normal’ month, reports Citi

Citigroup recently conducted a spot-check survey of Macau’s premium mass gaming tables and found the quality of players remained steady in March, which was considered a “normal month” without extended holiday periods.

Overall, Citigroup reported the market-wide wager observed in the March survey amounted to HKD10 million (US$1.3 million), representing a 73% increase compared to March 2023, as cited in a GGR Asia report.

The survey identified 482 premium mass players, indicating a year-on-year rise of 71%. The average wager per player for the month was HKD20,817, slightly higher than the HKD20,539 recorded in March 2023.

Analysts George Choi and Ryan Cheung noted these figures suggested the quality of players remained largely unchanged compared to the previous year.

They further emphasized the survey was conducted on a regular Friday, without any long weekends or major holidays, and the estimated wager per player held up well when compared to surveys conducted during several previous non-holiday months.

According to Citigroup, Wynn Macau Ltd, the operator of Wynn Macau and Wynn Palace, emerged as the market-share leader in the March survey, capturing 25% of the observed wager amounts.

However, the institution expressed surprise at MGM China Holdings Ltd’s estimated 21% share, placing it in third position. Staff Reporter