Macau’s gaming sector has had a strong start in the Year of the Horse, with average premium mass players’ wager hitting a record HK$29,625 during the Chinese New Year period, Citi said.
The figure represented 13 percent year-on-year growth, indicating that premium mass demand remains robust, the bank said.
Total wager amounted to HK$24.4 million during the Chinese New Year this year, up 17 percent compared to the same period in 2025, while the number of premium mass players rose 3 percent to 824.
Macau saw the number of whales increase four to 53 during this year's holiday, with seven of them wagering HK$500,000 or more, compared to four in 2025's Chinese New Year period, according to Citi.
Citi added that these big spending customers wagered a total of HK$11.3 million, or an average of HK$213,000 per person.
Besides, the average baccarat minimum bet increased 5 percent to HK$2,347, which seems to signal a recovery in grind-mass business, the bank said.
Backed by this robust performance, Citi projected that Macau's gaming revenue in February would record a 1 percent growth to 20 billion patacas (HK$19.4 billion), with a solid 12 percent rise for the first two months combined.
