PR in the Philippines

(AsiaGameHub) –   MGM China recorded net revenues of HK $8.8 billion (around $1.15 billion) in the first quarter of this year, representing a 10% increase compared to the same period last year.

Over the same timeframe, VIP spending declined, according to Macau Shimbun—a Japanese-language newspaper based in Macao.

The group’s VIP hold rate dropped by one percentage point to 2.5%. In the casino sector, hold rates denote the percentage of wins from high-spending VIP patrons. Additionally, the group’s broader VIP market decreased by 5.2% during the same period.

MGM China is among just six entities that have received casino management concessions from the Macao government.

The company runs two integrated resorts in Macao—one located on the Macao Peninsula and the other in the Cotai District.

MGM’s Mass Gaming Revenues Reach New High

Average daily casino revenue increased by 13%, while mass gaming revenues (including slot machines) jumped by 19%—setting a new all-time high.

Hotel occupancy rates edged up slightly to 93.9%, and the firm stated that its financial position remains “stable.”

As of March 31, 2026, the company had total liquidity of HK $25 billion (approximately $3.3 billion).

Macao’s casinos may face impacts from mixed developments in the tourism industry. According to TDM, a Macao-based media outlet, data from the Statistics and Census Service for Q1 shows that the number of Mainland Chinese tour groups visiting Macao fell by 20% year-over-year to 385,000.

Conversely, the number of international tour groups rose by more than 16% to 65,000.

Average hotel room occupancy rates climbed by 2% to 92%, and the number of Mainland Chinese guests remained consistent.

However, the number of international guests surged—with a 60% rise from Thailand and a 51% increase from India.

Golden Week Set to Provide a Boost

Tourism experts indicated that a short-term uptick is on the horizon.

In a separate report, the same media outlet noted that the Macao Tourism Bureau anticipates 800,000 tourists to visit during the May Golden Week.

In China, May 1 is Labor Day, and this year it is part of a five-day holiday running until May 5.

This aligns with Japan’s Golden Week public holidays, which extend until May 6 this year.

Maria Helena de Senna Fernandes, Director of the Macao Tourism Bureau, stated that the bureau expects approximately 160,000 visitors per day during Golden Week.

She forecasted that a total of 800,000 visitors will come during the full holiday period.

Last week, hotel occupancy rates exceeded 80%, she noted, and the bureau expects these rates to hit 90% in early May.

Gambling-Related Crime Concerns

In February, Macao’s casinos recorded a 4.5% revenue increase, surpassing analysts’ forecasts by 3.5% and pushing gross gaming revenues over the $2.5 billion threshold.

Nevertheless, police in the Chinese special administrative region have raised concerns about an increase in gambling-related offenses.

In March, police detained a Mainland Chinese man at a border checkpoint, accusing him of pretending to be a gambling expert who offered to teach his skills to a female client.

When the pair met in Macao, the self-proclaimed guru asked the woman for a loan, which he then lost in two casino visits before trying to leave via the border.

De Senna Fernandes mentioned that police have intensified their surveillance of the sector ahead of Golden Week.

During the holiday, she added, officers have expanded the frequency and scope of patrols at border crossings and key tourist spots.

As of Sunday, April 26, 2026, Macao police have carried out 523 inspections at border crossings and tourist attractions.

Officers reported arresting at least three individuals suspected of being illegal tour guides. De Senna Fernandes also noted that police have launched more than 100 interdepartmental investigations as part of a crackdown on unlicensed hotels.