VIP baccarat revenue falls 19% as junkets drop to 29

The number of licensed gaming promoters in Macau has declined to 29, down from 31 at the end of March, while VIP baccarat gross gaming revenue fell 18.8% quarter-on-quarter to MOP15.9 billion in the second quarter, according to data from the Gaming Inspection and Coordination Bureau (DICJ).

VIP baccarat revenue accounted for nearly 26% of Macau’s total gross gaming revenue during the period, which reached MOP61.21 billion, down 7.3% from MOP66.04 billion in the first quarter. Compared with the same period last year, VIP baccarat revenue decreased 2.5%.

The DICJ said the number of gaming promoters has fallen under new regulations requiring each promoter to partner with only one gaming concessionaire. The current 29 operators represent 58% of the maximum annual quota of 50 gaming promoters approved for 2027.

The quota allocation for the six gaming concessionaires remains unchanged, with MGM Grand Paradise and Melco Resorts each allocated eight promoters, Galaxy Casino and Wynn Resorts receiving five each, and Venetian Macau and SJM Resorts assigned 12 each.

Meanwhile, mass-market baccarat revenue declined 3.8% quarter-on-quarter to MOP35.17 billion in the second quarter. In contrast, slot machine revenue increased 3.3% to MOP4.11 billion, while live multi-game revenue rose 3.7% to MOP1.3 billion.

The city’s gaming facilities remained unchanged in the first quarter, with 6,000 gaming tables, 12,000 gaming machines and 20 casinos in operation.