Macau has set the maximum number of gaming tables across all casinos at 6,000 and the maximum number of gaming machines at 12,000, effective from the start of 2023, according to an executive order of the Chief Executive published in the Official Gazette on Friday 26 August 20221.
A second Chief Executive order published the same day sets the minimum annual gaming revenue generated by each gaming table at MOP7 million (US$875,000), and the minimum annual gaming revenue generated by each gaming machine at MOP300,000. Those minimum requirements also take effect from the beginning of 20231.
The new gaming law, approved and implemented in late June, gives the Chief Executive powers to determine the maximum number of gaming tables and gaming machines operated in the city, as well as the minimum revenue each table and machine must generate1. Under the law, concessionaires that cannot meet the minimum revenue requirements must pay what the dispatch calls a special premium to the government, covering the difference between actual revenue and the minimum amount1.
"The Macau government has set the maximum number of gaming tables across all casinos at 6,000 and the maximum number of gaming machines at 12,000, effective starting from the start of 2023"
The caps sit close to current installed capacity. According to the latest data from the Gaming Inspection and Coordination Bureau (DICJ), there were 6,006 gaming tables and 12,042 gaming machines in Macau as of end-June1. Both totals are well below pre-pandemic levels: Macau had 6,739 gaming tables and 17,009 gaming machines in 20191.
| Item | Cap or minimum from start of 2023 | Level as of end-June | Level in 2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gaming tables | 6,000 maximum | 6,006 | 6,739 |
| Gaming machines | 12,000 maximum | 12,042 | 17,009 |
| Minimum annual revenue per table | MOP7 million (US$875,000) | Not reported | Not reported |
| Minimum annual revenue per machine | MOP300,000 | Not reported | Not reported |
The orders do not state how the table and machine caps will be allocated among Macau's concessionaires, and no allocation has been reported1.
What it means for players
The caps and revenue floors apply to operators, not to individual gamblers, so they do not change what a player may bet or which games are legal. The practical effect runs through the floor: with table numbers held near their current level and a minimum revenue target attached to each one, operators have a fixed number of positions to fill and a set amount each must earn. How that shapes table minimums, table availability at peak times and the mix of games on the floor has not been reported1.
The machine cap of 12,000 is slightly below the 12,042 machines recorded at end-June, so a small reduction in machine numbers is implied by the figures, though no timetable for removing machines has been reported1. For visitors and locals, the rules inside Macau casinos, entry requirements and the games available are unchanged by these orders. See Table Games in Macau Casinos and Slot Machines in Macau for how the floors are laid out, and Rules Inside Macau Casinos for entry and play rules.
What happens next
Both orders take effect from the start of 20231. Concessionaires that fall short of the minimum revenue per table or per machine will owe the government a special premium equal to the shortfall1. No date has been reported for the first assessment of whether the minimums have been met, and no announcement has been made on how the 6,000 tables and 12,000 machines will be divided among the operators1.
