Hong Kong singer Jacky Cheung’s residency at Galaxy Arena in Macao is generating a “significant improvement in foot traffic” for its associated casino, according to a memo from Citigroup analysts reported by multiple gaming industry media outlets.
Analysts George Choi and Timothy Chau attributed “all the positive findings” from their June table survey to Cheung’s 20 June performance, which marked the start of a nine-show series scheduled through July. “Galaxy seems to have struck the right note by hosting [Cheung] at the Galaxy Arena,” they said.
“We believe other operators are also benefiting – some of them have purchased tickets as comps for their Grade-A players,” the pair added, noting that the city’s casinos would likely rake in higher-than-forecast gross gaming revenue (GGR) for the month.
Citigroup had forecast GGR of 19 billion patacas (about US$2.35 billion) for June, a year-on-year increase of 5 percent. Seaport Research Partners, meanwhile, forecast 17.85 billion patacas (US$2.2 billion).
[See more: Macao’s government revises the 2025 budget amid a gambling revenue dip]
Choi and Chau said they meanwhile observed a 58 percent higher total wager in the premium-mass segment than in June last year, and that the number of premium mass players was up by 16 percent. Those figures meant a 36 percent year-on-year increase in the average premium-mass wager per player.
They also observed 35 “whales” in this month’s survey, more than twice the number they saw last June. Whales are defined as players who place HK$100,000 (roughly US$12,700) or more on a single bet. Their average wager was up 4 percent year-on-year, “despite the ongoing geopolitical tensions and economic uncertainties,” the analysts noted.
June is typically a lacklustre month for GGR, due to a lack of public holidays and often inclement weather – which can deter tourists.
The first five months of the year saw worse-than-expected gambling earnings, prompting the government to adjust its 2025 budget projection. It now forecasts 228 billion patacas (US$28.2 billion) in GGR for the year, down from 240 billion patacas (US$29.7). That makes for a monthly average of 19 billion patacas (US$2.3 billion) instead of the previous 20 billion patacas (US$2.4 billion).
