Galaxy is reportedly the second gaming operator in Macao to have completed its smart table rollout for mass baccarat, which is by far the most popular form of gambling in the SAR. That’s according to trade publication Inside Asian Gaming, which cited a note from Citigroup analysts sent on Monday.
Analysts George Choi and Timothy Chau’s said an additional 74 smart tables were operating in Galaxy Macau’s “grind mass” area – using an industry term referring to low-stakes mass market gambling – while nine such new tables had appeared at StarWorld.
“We believe Galaxy has become the second casino operator in Macao to have fully deployed smart tables for its mass baccarat operations,” they wrote. The concessionaire follows in the footsteps of MGM China, which has reportedly been the SAR’s most proactive adopter of radio frequency identification (RFID) technology.
[See more: ‘Smart tables’ won’t mean less staff, Sands China’s vice chairman says]
Regarding the progress made by the other concessionaires, Choi and Chau said they believed Sands China was at about 80 percent RFID deployment in its mass baccarat operations; Wynn was at 60 percent; and Melco was at 50 percent (with StudioCity already fully equipped, however). They did not give a percentage for SJM, but the pair’s survey showed that Grand Lisboa had 63 operational tables for the first time in January.
RFID chips and tables increase efficiency and through that, profitability. They also help combat cheating, manage inventory, keep tabs on players and reduce user error. Choi and Chau said their growing presence in Macao’s casinos was “one of the important drivers” of Citigroup’s 7 percent gross gaming revenue (GGR) growth forecast for 2025, thanks to the technology enabling more games to be played per hour.
The analysts also reported the usual pre-Lunar New Year slowdown, with some casinos carrying out minor renovations before the traditionally hectic holiday period, which kicks off on 29 January. They forecast a 2 percent year-on-year drop in GGR for the month, culminating in a positive January and February combined.
