Mass-market baccarat continues to dominate Macau’s gaming environment, with data released by the Gaming Inspection and Coordination Bureau showing that it generated 20.51 billion patacas or $2.54 billion in gross gaming revenue in the first three months of the year, representing 58.9% of the market.
While slightly lower than the 62.9% revenue in Q4 2022, it was significantly higher than in 2019, when massive baccarat brought in $3.66 billion and accounted for 39.1% of all GGR.
GGR from VIP baccarat of 8.57 billion patacas or $1.06 billion in Q1 2023 represents 24.6% of Macau’s total GGR, while low-stakes baccarat brought in the remaining 58.9% of gaming revenue.
Total GGR for Q1 2023, which was the first quarter after border restrictions were lifted on Jan. 8, was 34.81 billion patacas, or $4.30 billion, according to the DICJ regulator.
The Macau government has also updated its junket law: now each junket is only allowed to work with one concessionaire, it cannot operate its own VIP lounges in casinos and is not allowed to participate in revenue-sharing agreements with operators.
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