Macau’s DICJ approved new baccarat side bets, and all six concessionaires have introduced at least one option, according to Citigroup analysts. They estimated the bets’ house advantage at 16% to 18%, compared with about 1% for Banker and Player bets, but said most players may not yet have encountered the new wagers.
The new bets change the house advantage available on baccarat wagers across Macau’s six concessionaires.
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Citigroup said Macau casino gross gaming revenue reached an estimated MOP9 billion in the first 14 days of June, while the daily average for the week ended 14 June was about MOP586 million. The bank attributed the slowdown partly to the FIFA World Cup and maintained its June revenue forecast of MOP19 billion, 10% below a year earlier.
Macau gaming revenue rose 14.4% year on year in the first quarter of 2026, while the quarter-on-quarter figure fell 0.3%, according to government data cited in the report. Seaport Research Partners expects growth to slow during the rest of the year and estimates EBITDA growth of 9% alongside a 30-basis-point decline in margins. The brokerage also expects operating expenditure to increase by 6% to 7% in 2026.
Citigroup forecasts Macau gross gaming revenue of MOP22.5 billion in May, a 6% year-on-year increase, citing industry sources. The projection requires average daily revenue of about MOP704 million for the rest of the month; the bank points to scheduled concerts and a UFC event as possible demand drivers.
CLSA and Citigroup analysts estimated that Macau casino industry EBITDA rose 7% to 8% year on year in the first quarter, behind the 14.3% increase in gross gaming revenue. Citigroup put industry EBITDA margin at about 27%, while CLSA estimated 25.3%.
FATF warned that illegal and unlicensed offshore gambling creates significant money-laundering risks. It said illicit markets in some jurisdictions are as large as or larger than regulated markets, and identified rapid cross-border transfers, complex ownership and weakly supervised partnerships as risks.