More of Macao’s gaming concessionaires will start rolling out radio frequency identification (RFID) tables this year, with Galaxy Entertainment, Melco and SJM confirming at least some of their casinos will have the technology by the end of 2024, Asia Gaming Brief reports.
The outlet cited information from Goldman Sachs, released after the bank hosted a recent investor tour in Macao. Goldman Sachs reportedly indicated that the pace of RFID adoption would partly depend on the availability of smart chips and tables.
RFID technology entered the market in 2014 and was adopted in 2016 by MGM China (the first Macao gaming operator to jump on board). RFID chips and tables help combat cheating, manage inventory, keep tabs on players and reduce user error.
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While the technology can raise privacy concerns among players, Goldman Sachs reportedly said that marketing and productivity benefits tend to outweigh any disadvantages.
Melco is set to get its first batch of RFID tables this month, while Galaxy is expecting its tables in the second quarter of this year, Asia Gaming Brief says. SJM will introduce them at Grand Lisboa in the fourth quarter.
The specialist gaming publication added that the other operators – Sands China and Wynn Macau – were “either reviewing or preparing to roll out RFID tables in the coming quarters.”
