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  • Macau Casino Workers Treated With One-Month Bonuses

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    Posted on: January 11, 2026, 11:18h. 

    Last updated on: January 11, 2026, 11:18h.

    • Five of the six casino operators in Macau have announced annual bonuses
    • The one-time payments are for non-executive workers
    • Macau enjoyed its best year since the pandemic in 2025

    Macau casinos enjoyed a prosperous 2025, and the six gaming companies are sharing the riches with the people who made it all possible.

    Macau casino workers bonuses China
    SJM Resorts’ Casino Lisboa is pictured in downtown Macau with Wynn Macau in the background. Casino employees at five of the six Macau casino companies have been confirmed for annual bonuses equal to one month’s pay. Sands is expected to join the handful in announcing bonuses this week. (Image: Getty)

    As is customary in January following strong gaming years, most of Macau’s casino concessions have announced significant bonuses for non-executive workers.

    Galaxy Entertainment said its one-month discretionary bonus covers about 97% of the company’s staff, with all positions from senior manager and below eligible. Melco Resorts said its one-month bonus would be paid to all “non-management” employees in Macau and Hong Kong, but did not specify what percentage of its workforce would be entitled to the special payments. MGM China said 97% of its staff in China would be paid a bonus equivalent to the employee’s salary for one month.

    Wynn Macau confirmed it’s distributing a “special allowance” equal to one month’s gross salary, with the bonus celebrating the company’s 20th anniversary in the Chinese Special Administrative Region. Wynn said 98% of its 11,552-person workforce qualified for the dividend.

    On Sunday, SJM Resorts said it too would issue a one-month bonus to non-executive employees. Sands China is the lone concession not to yet announce a bonus, but is expected to in the coming days.

    2025 Recovery

    2025 was the best year yet in the COVID-19 aftermath for Macau’s gaming industry, which is the world’s largest casino market. The six casino operators generated gross gaming revenue (GGR) of almost $30.9 billion, more than double the size of the Las Vegas Strip.

    The $30.9 billion haul represented a 9.1% increase on 2024 and was 36% higher than 2023, when Macau casino revenue totaled $22.7 billion. 2025 exceeded expectations, as the casinos successfully redirected their focus from the high rollers, who had largely disappeared with the eradication of VIP junket groups, to the premium mass player and the general public.

    Premium mass players still bet hundreds of US dollars per baccarat hand, with some wagering four digits per deal. While the true high rollers who bet thousands and tens of thousands of dollars per hand in private junket rooms are generally no more, the casinos say the need to offer fewer perks and comps to premium players has led to them being more profitable.

    Record Visitation  

    The pivot to a wider market was proven with the disclosure of the 2025 visitor arrivals numbers. Macau’s Public Security Police, which handles border entries, reports that more than 40 million visitors made their way into the enclave last year.

    The tally, officially 40.06 million, easily broke Macau’s previous best travel year of 39.41 million visitors set in 2019. The 2025 visitor mark represented a 14.7% surge on 2024, when 34.94 million entries were counted.

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    Devin O’Connor

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  • Macau Government Wants Updates on Casino Investments

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    Posted on: November 20, 2025, 12:18h. 

    Last updated on: November 19, 2025, 12:26h.

    • Macau will review casino investments in the new year
    • The Chinese city’s six casino operators agreed to invest $16 billion in nongaming projects
    • The pledge came in 2022 with new gaming concessions

    In December 2022, the Macau government agreed to issue new gaming licenses to its six casino operators. In exchange, Sands, Galaxy, Wynn, MGM, Melco, and SJM agreed to invest many billions of dollars into resort improvements and expansions, with the bulk of the capital mandated to go to nongaming initiatives.

    Macau government casino investments China
    Macau Chief Executive Sam Hou Fai delivers the 2026 Policy Address before a plenary session of the Legislative Assembly on Nov. 18, 2025. Sam said the local government will inspect whether the city’s casinos have fulfilled their gaming and nongaming investment obligations, as dictated by their 2022 licenses. (Image: Macau Government Information Bureau)

    Macau, at the direction of Beijing, used the relicensing process to field investments that will ideally bring new people to the Chinese Special Administrative Region (SAR).

    The six gaming firms agreed to invest about $19.3 billion, with upwards of $16 billion stipulated for projects off the gaming floor.

    Almost three years later, several of the casinos claim they’ve already carried out their investment obligations. Thousands of hotel rooms have been renovated, investments in sports and K-pop have been made, and family-friendly attractions have been developed.

    Macau Chief Executive Wants Audits

    During his 2026 Policy Address to the Legislative Assembly, Macau Chief Executive Sam Hou Fai said an emphasis in the new year will be on ensuring that the casinos carry out their investment responsibilities.

    We will conduct a review of concessionaires’ investment projects and amounts in both gaming and nongaming sectors from 2023 to 2025, their fulfillment of social responsibilities, and compliance with laws and statutory obligations,” Sam said, as reported by Inside Asian Gaming. “We urge concessionaires to fulfill their concession contract commitments, implement gaming and nongaming investments, and expand diversified tourism projects and products.”

    Since the 2022 tenders, each casino has been required to submit implementation status reports to the SAR government specifying investments made in the prior year and plans for the 12 months ahead.

    “The government does monitor the investment situation.” Tai Kin Ip, Macau’s secretary for economy and finance, said earlier this year.

    Macau Outlook

    Macau is roaring, as its casinos, the enclave’s economic heartbeat, are experiencing their best post-COVID-19 year to date. October was the city’s best month in terms of casino revenue since October 2019, with gross gaming revenue (GGR) reaching more than $3 billion.

    Year to date, Macau GGR is up 8%. The six casinos have won MOP15.28 billion (US$1.9 billion) more gaming money from players through nine months than they did in 2024.

    Macau is meanwhile diversifying, with its casinos no longer being the primary focal point. Economic analysts expect GDP growth to be around 2.6% this year. As for 2026, analysts are “cautiously optimistic” about further growth, despite global headwinds like the ongoing threats of trade tariffs with the US.

    While growth is growth, the 2.6% projection for this year from the International Monetary Fund (IMF) is a reduction from the earlier 3.6% forecast. The IMF said global trade worries tampered results.  

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    Devin O’Connor

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  • Melco Resorts’ Shares Named among Morningstar’s Top 10 under $10

    Melco Resorts’ Shares Named among Morningstar’s Top 10 under $10

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    Melco Resorts & Entertainment, led by CEO Lawrence Ho, has earned a spot on Morningstar’s recently unveiled list of the ten best stocks trading under $10. Despite a challenging year that saw the stock price tumble by 33.3%, resulting in Ho dropping off Forbes’ list of Hong Kong’s wealthiest, Melco’s shares currently trade at around $8.30.

    2024 May Present Substantial Growth Opportunities

    Melco Resorts & Entertainment operates several prominent properties in Macau, including City of Dreams, Morpheus, Studio City, and Altira. The company also manages casino hotels in Cyprus and Manila under the City of Dreams brand. Macroeconomic pressures and broader industry uncertainty caused the company’s share price to tumble, but this development may present an opportunity for savvy investors.

    Morningstar, a leading investment research firm, evaluates the stock at $12.60, suggesting it is undervalued by approximately 32%. This assessment implies that Melco must climb over 50% from its current levels to reach this valuation. Morningstar analyst Jennifer Song noted that a potential resurgence was not unlikely, highlighting favorable market conditions.

    We believe the gambling market in Macau will enjoy solid growth in the longer term. As one of only six concession holders to operate casinos in Macao, Melco is ideally placed to benefit from this market dynamic.

    Jennifer Song, Morningstar analyst

    Morningstar’s valuation considers the optimistic market dynamics in Macau, with nongaming revenue approaching 2019 levels and gross gaming revenue on track to meet or exceed pre-pandemic highs in the current year. Increased tourist flow from mainland China should more than compensate for the outflow of foreign visitors, bringing fresh capital to the region.

    Melco Resorts and Entertainment’s founder, Lawrence Ho, recently lost his position in Hong Kong’s 50 Richest list published by Forbes. Beijing’s crackdown on VIP junkets, once major revenue generators for Macau’s casinos, significantly impacted Melco’s bottom line, forcing the operator to undertake significant restructuring efforts to match the region’s new focus on non-gambling entertainment.

    If Morningstar’s predictions come true, Ho will likely earn back his place on the prestigious list, as most of his wealth remains concentrated in the casino operator. Melco’s 2023 launch of Studio City phase 2, expanding one of its most profitable venues with 900 luxury rooms, should be the next profit driver, accommodating increasing tourist numbers.

    Melco’s diverse exposure to mass-market and premium-mass clients should help mitigate the volatility associated with VIP customers, a segment still grappling with challenges in Macau due to previous controversies in the junket industry. Investors eyeing potential growth in Macau’s gambling market might find Melco Resorts & Entertainment an intriguing prospect amid its current share price.

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    Deyan Dimitrov

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