Good morning. Running hard to stand still. Macau casino margins are expected to remain constrained in 2026, with elevated reinvestment offsetting a slowdown in operating cost growth, according to Seaport Research. Growth is also set to ease after a strong start to the year, prompting operators to refine spending strategies. Meanwhile, Newport World Resorts posted modest gaming revenue growth alongside a 21 percent rise in profit, supported by cost efficiencies. Also in the Philippines, Maybank has downgraded Digiplus earnings as it pivots toward higher-value users.

What you need to know

Seaport expects Macau gaming margins to stay constrained, with high reinvestment offsetting slower cost growth and limiting near-term recovery.
Newport World Resorts sees gaming revenue rise 4% in 2025, lifting profit 21% despite weaker international visitation in the Manila market.
Maybank cuts Digiplus earnings 16 percent as the firm pivots to high-value players, with lower MAUs offset by stronger monetization and margin gains.

On the radar

Macau eyes record arrivals for Labor Day holiday, hotels hold rates.
Resorts World New York City to open first table games casino on April 28th.
HK chief backs betting pause over growing prediction market risks.
Hong Kong–Macau ferry fares rise about 10% on fuel cost surge.
Westside Resort to deploy IDX X-Trend system across 250 gaming tables.
Taiwan busts cross-border gambling laundering ring, seizes $12.9M.
Google’s AI crackdown blocks over 270M gambling ads worldwide in 2025.

AGB Intelligence

MACAU

Cost easing unlikely to lift Macau margins: Seaport

Seaport Research expects Macau’s casino sector to face ongoing margin pressure despite easing cost growth in 2026, as elevated reinvestment and commissions persist. While expenses may rise more slowly, profitability improvements are limited. After strong first-quarter growth, the market is likely to slow, leading operators to emphasize cost efficiency, reinvestment optimization, and competitive positioning.

Industry Updates

BetConstruct launches free sportsbook access ahead of FIFA World Cup 2026.
Soft2Bet secures four nominations at the EGR B2B Awards 2026 shortlist.
GLI brings together 300 regulators for its 26th Annual Roundtable.

daily ebrief

Written by AGBrief Editorial The AGBrief Editorial Team is a group of contributors living around the world that are connected to Asia Gaming Brief. They are active members in pursuing the sources of our news, making them reliable and accurate for our readers. More from AGBrief Editorial →