Jacky Cheung concerts fuel rise in June gaming revenue in Macau
The Cantopop icon has helped Macau defy the usual seasonal slowdown.
Macau.- A nine-show concert series by Cantopop icon Jacky Cheung is being credited with aiding unseasonally high June visitation and gross gaming revenue (GGR) in Macau. JPMorgan, UBS, and Citigroup have revised upwards their monthly forecasts.
According to Macao Daily, GGR from June 15 to 22 reached an average of MOP 685m (US$85m) per day, matching May’s levels. For the first 22 days of the month, GGR totaled MOP 14.8bn (US$ 1,8bn), with strong performance in the mass and slot machine segments at over 120 per cent of pre-pandemic levels.
Citigroup said Cheung’s concerts at Galaxy Arena were a major factor behind the strong results for what is normally a low month. Analysts observed a 58 per cent year-on-year rise in premium mass wagers and a 36 per cent increase in average bet size per player. The number of whales more than doubled compared to June 2024, with 35 players betting a combined HK$7.6m (US$976,000).
Galaxy Macau, the host venue, saw a sharp rise in foot traffic and maintained a 25 per cent share of the premium mass market. Wynn Palace also benefited, gaining market share. Some operators reportedly distributed concert tickets as incentives for top-tier patrons. HSBC now believes monthly GGR could hit as high as MOP 20.4bn (US$ 2.5bn), an 11–15 per cent increase year-on-year.
