Impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic and mainland China’s crackdown on cross-border gambling, including junkets, Macau’s VIP segment hit record lows in the three months to 30 September 2022, with figures released by the Gaming Inspection and Coordination Bureau (DICJ) showing VIP GGR fell to just MOP$1.16 billion (US$143.5 million).
This compared to MOP$1.99 billion (US$246 million) in the June quarter and MOP$5.96 billion (US$737 million) in 3Q21, although both fell well short of the MOP$31.09 billion (US$3.85 billion) recorded in 3Q19 – prior to the COVID-19 pandemic.
By percentage, VIP comprised just 20.8% of all Macau GGR for the quarter, continuing its recent slide from 27.0% in Q1 and 23.0% in Q2. The VIP segment had contributed 38.3% of industry GGR in 1Q21 and 44.7% in 4Q19.
While VIP continues to slide following the arrest of Suncity Group CEO Alvin Chau last November and Tak Chun Group’s Levo Chan in January, DICJ figures also highlight the industry’s struggles as a whole in Q3, with mass baccarat down 32.3% quarter-on-quarter to MOP$3.44 billion (US$425.6 million).
GGR from games of fortune, excluding baccarat, in 3Q22 was MOP$955 million (US$118.1 million) of which slot machines contributed MOP$511 million (US$63.1 million), representing 9.2% of GGR.
The DICJ reported a total of 5,974 gaming tables and 12,387 slot machines in the market as of 30 September 2022, compared with 6,006 gaming tables and 12,042 slot machines at the end of the June quarter.
