Macau's government began the orderly retendering of casino lucky gaming concessions in July 2022, according to an official economic review published by the government information service1.
The new round of casino lucky gaming concession contracts took effect on January 1, 2023, which the review describes as the start of a new chapter for the territory's gaming industry1. Six gaming companies are currently authorized to hold casino lucky gaming operating rights in Macau as independent legal persons1.
"2022 年 6 月 23 日，《娛樂場幸運博彩經營法律制度》及配套法規正式生效"
"7 月，特區政府有序開展娛樂場幸運博彩批給的重新競投工作"
The review gives the following figures for the period after the new concessions took effect:
| Item | Figure | Period |
|---|---|---|
| Gross gaming revenue | 2,267.82 billion patacas, up 23.9% year on year | Full year 2024 |
| Mass market revenue | 1,720.18 billion patacas, up 24.77% year on year | Full year 2024 |
| Mass share of total gaming revenue | 75.85%, a record high, up 9.4% versus 2019 | Full year 2024 |
| Casinos in operation | 30 | End of Q2 2025 |
| Full-time gaming employees | 52,898, up 380 year on year | End of Q2 2025 |
| Average full-time gaming employee pay | 27,390 patacas, up 2.4% year on year | End of Q2 2025 |
| Gross gaming revenue | 1,630.52 billion patacas, up 7.2% year on year | Through August 2025 |
The review states that in 2024 the government continued to improve supervision and regulation of the gaming industry, set up a mechanism for delivering non-gaming elements, and strictly monitored concessionaires' fulfillment of their contract commitments1. It says this was intended to enrich Macau's role as a world tourism and leisure center and to promote the development of the integrated tourism and leisure industry1.
GDP for the first half of 2025 was 2,001.5 billion patacas, up 1.8% in real terms year on year, recovering to 87% of the level in the same period of 20191.
What it means for players
The retendering replaced Macau's previous concession arrangements with a new set of contracts that took effect on January 1, 2023, and six companies now hold casino lucky gaming operating rights as independent legal persons1. For anyone gambling in Macau, the practical effect is that the venues operating today do so under the concession framework that began in 2023, and the government says it monitors how those concessionaires meet their contractual commitments, including non-gaming elements1.
The review does not set out any changes to player-facing rules such as game types, table limits, taxes on winnings or entry requirements, and none are reported here. It also does not state the names of the six companies, the terms of the individual concessions, or the amounts invested. Those details have not been reported in this source.
The scale of the market is visible in the figures: 30 casinos were operating at the end of the second quarter of 2025, employing 52,898 full-time staff1. Mass market play accounted for 75.85% of gross gaming revenue in 2024, a record share, which indicates where most betting activity sits relative to VIP play1.
What happens next
The review gives no scheduled dates for further licensing steps. It notes that the government's stated focus for 2024 was supervising concessionaires' delivery of non-gaming commitments and improving regulation of the industry1. No further retendering or contract milestones are reported.
For background on how Macau's concessions developed, see the history of gambling in Macau. For how concessions differ from other license models, see types of gambling licenses explained, and for who licenses what across the region, see gambling regulators and licenses in Asia. General visitor information is in Can I gamble in Macau?.
Sources1 sources
- 經濟概, gcs.gov.mo
