High-spending gamblers drove Macau’s gaming floors to new heights during the 2026 Chinese New Year (CNY) period, with the average wager per player reaching a record-breaking HK$29,625 ($3,788).
This figure represents a 13 percent increase over the 2025 holiday season, showing sustained resilience in the city’s premium mass segment despite broader economic shifts.
According to the latest proprietary table survey from Citigroup, conducted by analysts George Choi and Timothy Chau, the “Year of the Horse” has galloped to a strong start. The survey results indicate that affluent visitors from mainland China remain highly willing to spend, bolstering the city’s gaming recovery.
Total observed wagers in the premium mass segment rose 17 percent year-over-year, reaching HK$24.4 million ($3.12 million). This growth was supported by a 3 percent increase in the number of premium mass players, totaling 824 individuals.
The ‘Whale Watch’ portion of the survey further highlighted the market’s top-end strength. Analysts observed 53 ‘whales’—defined as high-stakes players—compared to 49 during the same period in 2025. These elite bettors wagered a combined HK$11.3 million ($1.45 million), averaging approximately HK$213,000 ($27,238) per whale. In particular, two players at Galaxy Macau’s Horizon Room shared ‘Player of the Month’ honors, each wagering HK$800,000 ($102,302). Other significant activity included a HK$740,000 ($94,629) wager at the Londoner Casino and multiple HK$700,000 ($89,514) bets at City of Dreams and MGM Cotai.
The survey also identified a significant shift in market positioning. Melco Resorts & Entertainment claimed the top spot in the premium mass survey with a 25 percent market share of total observed wagers, a substantial jump from its 13 percent share in 2025. Galaxy Entertainment Group followed in second place with a 23 percent share.
In addition to high-end trends, Citigroup noted strategic shifts in the ‘grind mass’ and retail sectors. SJM’s Grand Lisboa Palace (GLP) recently launched a new low-limit baccarat area consisting of 24 tables. Of these, three offer minimum bets of just HK$300 ($38.36), making GLP the only property on the Cotai Strip to provide such accessible entry points.
Citigroup maintains a bullish outlook for the region, forecasting February 2026 gross gaming revenue (GGR) at MOP20 billion ($2.48 billion). This projection implies a solid 12 percent year-over-year growth for the combined January-February period.
Analysts attributed this optimism to ‘green shoots’ seen in luxury retail, noting new openings from brands such as Porsche, Canada Goose, and Rolex across various integrated resorts.
