Buoyed by mainland China’s Labour Day golden week holiday, Macau’s gross gaming revenues hit MOP10.5 billion in May, a record monthly high since the start of the Covid-19 pandemic in January 2020, according to figures provided by industry insiders.
Meanwhile the rolling chip turnover of local junkets in May rose to MOP52 billion, a month-on-month increase of 20.9%. However, total revenues of local junkets increased only slightly to MOP1.7 billion, up by 6.3% compared with the previous month.
All the leading junket operators in Macau saw improved performance in May thanks to the golden week holiday. Guangdong Group was able to break once more the 10 billion pataca-mark in monthly rolling chip turnover, closely behind Tak Chun and Suncity.
Unfortunately the casino boom in May was short-lived as a new wave of coronavirus outbreaks in neighbouring Guangdong has once again put a brake on Macau’s economic recovery. Since border crossing restrictions were tightened last week, many hotels have experienced hundreds of booking cancellations. Macau’s gaming revenues in June are expected to hit new lows.
In a separate development, the opening of Grand Lisboa Palace – SJM Holdings’ flagship project in Cotai – will be postponed once more as some government paperwork is yet to be finalised, according to informed sources. And the Lisboeta will only be opened after the Grand Lisboa Palace.
May ranking of gaming operators in VIP junket business by market share:
- Galaxy Entertainment (27)
- Melco International (200)
- Wynn Macau (1128)
- Sands China (1928)
- SJM Holdings (880)
- MGM China (2282)
May ranking of VIP junket operators by market share:
- Suncity
- Tak Chun
- Guangdong Group
- MegStar
- Golden Group
- Heng Sheng
