Citigroup reported a 144% year-on-year increase in casino revenues in Macau during the early days of May

On May 3, Citigroup conducted a survey among premium mass-market players at Macau casinos. The results revealed a staggering 144% increase in total bets compared to the previous year, reaching $2.3 million (approximately 210.7 million rubles), while the number of players surged by 119% to 775 individuals.
The survey was conducted on the third of the first five days of May, coinciding with China's Labor Day holiday period. For comparison, the findings were juxtaposed with Citigroup's previous survey conducted on April 28, 2023, just before a similar series of May holidays.
Analysts George Choi and Ryan Chung noted that this latest survey identified the first-ever foreign "Player of the Month." This term is used by the bank to refer to the casino visitor who placed the highest bets in their report.
According to Citigroup, the largest amounts were wagered by a player from South Korea at Galaxy Macau, the flagship resort of Galaxy Entertainment Group Ltd in the Cotai area. Bets ranged from $32,000 to $51,000 (2.9 to 4.7 million rubles). The analysts also reported observing a total of nine "whales" at Galaxy Macau, which features a significant number of premium mass-market gaming rooms.
In this context, Citigroup defines a "whale" as a player who places bets of at least $12,800 (1.17 million rubles) per hand. Overall, the analysts identified 37 such visitors across all six casino operators in Macau.
During the peak gaming activity period of the Chinese New Year celebrations in February this year, there were 41 "whales" recorded. In May 2023, however, their numbers were significantly lower, totaling just 14.
Among the most popular operators among vacationers, analysts highlighted Galaxy and Sands China. Both companies offer the largest number of hotel rooms and have recently introduced a new betting option in baccarat called Small 6/Big 6, which has gained favor among players.
Notably, "smart" tables could potentially boost Macau's gaming revenue by 6%.