The day before yesterday, the Macau Gaming Inspection and Coordination Bureau published the aggregate amount won from patrons by the casino industry in the SAR. Results were as follows, in millions of MOP (Macanese patacas):
| Monthly Gross Revenue from Games of Fortune in 2013 and 2012 | ||||||||||
| Monthly Gross Revenue | Accumulated Gross Revenue | |||||||||
| 2013 | 2012 | Variance | 2013 | 2012 | Variance | |||||
| Jan | 26,864 | 25,040 | +7.3% | 26,864 | 25,040 | +7.3% | ||||
| Feb | 27,084 | 24,286 | +11.5% | 53,948 | 49,325 | +9.4% | ||||
| Mar | 31,336 | 24,989 | +25.4% | 85,284 | 74,314 | +14.8% | ||||
| Apr | 28,305 | 25,003 | +13.2% | 113,589 | 99,317 | +14.4% | ||||
| May | 29,589 | 26,078 | +13.5% | 143,178 | 125,395 | +14.2% | ||||
Source: Macau Gaming Inspection and Coordination Bureau (DICJ)
At MOP 29,6 billion (US$3.7 billion), the monthly gaming win for May was the second-highest on record, exceeded only by the MOP 31.3 billion posted during the holiday season in March. It was also a 13.5% year-on-year gain. The strong–but not blowout–comparison came against the last healthy month of 2012. From June onward, a combination of economic slowdown and the desire not to attract much attention in advance of the change in leadership of the Chinese Communist Party caused a stagnation in market win until last December.
what to look for in market development
1. Although what will likely turn out to be a 15% yoy growth rate for 2013 is nothing to sneeze at, it would no longer be the gold rush we’ve come to know and love in Macau.
Normally, I’d guess that maturity for Macau gaming will be 10% annual growth–because that would basically in line with my guess at China’s trend nominal GDP expansion rate. But since China is attempting a macroeconomic transition away from low value-added manufacturing based on large wage increases rather than currency appreciation, I want to pencil in a higher number. I’m just not sure what it should be.
2. In addition, I don’t think Macau is mature quite yet. Better transportation links will allow the SAR to reach progressively deeper into the mainland for customers.
3. Macau is unique in my experience, because it is dominated by high stakes baccarat played by extremely wealthy, highly skilled gamblers who don’t lose a large percentage of their bets and who have a large chunk of their losses rebated back to them as the price of their patronage.
In contrast, upper income, but not insanely wealthy, gamblers in Las Vegas have percentage losses on their bets of about 10x what the high rollers do. So the broadening of the market to include more of the first group may bring profits to casinos that are very much higher than Hong Kong analysts now expect.
4. Market momentum is moving toward Cotai. That’s the newest area. It’s also where the new capacity is opening. Galaxy Entertainment and Sands China are the prime beneficiaries.
5. Former also-rans are now leading the pack. Operators like Wynn Macau, who have been the most desirable destinations as well as efficient since opening in wringing every last avo (1/100 of pataca) from their plant and equipment, will stagnate in gaming operations until they can open new capacity.
5. Non-gambling offerings–restaurants, shows, retail–are in their infancy in Macau. In pre-Great Recession Las Vegas, they brought in half the industry’s profits. If Macau follows suit–and I don’t see why it shouldn’t–this could be an enormous positive surprise to Hong Kong investors. Wynn Macau and Sands China will likely be the stars in this arena.