Macau gaming market to double in size in next decade, analysts say
Macau’s gaming market could reach a value of US$70bn a year within the next decade, according to gaming analysts.
Macau.- Gaming analysts at the Asian IR Expo + Global Gaming Expo (G2E) Asia 2023 in Macau have predicted that Macau’s annual gross gaming revenue could reach MOP563.8bn (US$70bn) within the next ten years. That would mean a doubling of pre-Covid-19 GGR recorded in 2019.
During a panel discussion entitled Asia Gaming Landscape a Decade into the Future, analysts emphasised the increasing significance of non-gaming revenue for Macau’s gaming operators. They estimated that it could rise from the current 10 per cent of revenue to account for 25 per cent over the next decade.
Kenneth Fong, a gaming analyst at Credit Suisse, anticipated that gaming revenue will reach US$25-30bn this year, representing 70-80 per cent of 2019 figures. Fong projected that the Macau gaming market could grow to US$60-70bn annually in the next ten years, primarily driven by growth of the mass market.
To address the limitation in hotel room supply, analysts suggested Macau could turn to the nearby Hengqin area in Guangdong province. Visitors could use gaming offerings in Macau while staying in Hengqin.
Among the six gaming operators, industry experts believe that Galaxy Entertainment Group and Sands China are positioned to best capitalise on opportunities. However, SJM Holdings faces more challenges.
Recognising the need for diversification, Macau’s gaming operators have committed to developing non-gaming offerings as part of their new concessions. The six operators have collectively pledged to invest a minimum of MOP108.7bn (US$13.48bn) in non-gaming initiatives.
At a panel titled ‘Transition from VIP to Mass and Non-gaming: Bumpy or Smooth?’, Macau-based scholar Davis Fong said he believed the non-gaming spending of tourists in Macau will be more or the same as those in Las Vegas.
Finally, at the “Asia Gaming Landscape a Decade into the Future” panel, analysts agreed on the prosperous future of Macau’s gaming market but they were less bullish about Singapore’s growth prospects due to its limited hotel room capacity. Conversely, they said the Philippines’ gaming market is expected to double to US$10bn, while Japan and Thailand’s entry into the casino market could contribute to a larger gaming landscape in Asia.
In June, Macau recorded a GGR of just under MOP15.21bn (US$1.88bn), a 2.3 per cent decline from May. Macau’s casino GGR for the first half of 2023 was MOP80.14bn (US$9.93bn), up 205.1 per cent. Macau’s casino GGR for the entire year of 2022 stood at MOP42.20bn, down 51.4 per cent compared to the previous year.
