Macau Casino Revenue Remains Strong in April, Baccarat Side Bets Could Ease 2H Concerns
Posted on: May 4, 2026, 07:36h.
Last updated on: May 4, 2026, 07:36h.
- Macau casino revenue totaled $2.36 billion in April
- Macau casinos recently rolled out new side bets on baccarat
- The side bets increase the casinos’ house edge on the game of choice in Macau
Macau casinos continued their winning ways in April, as revenue from games of fortune climbed 5.5% year-over-year to MOP19.9 billion (US$2.36 billion).
Following the Chinese gaming enclave’s best year in the COVID-19’s aftermath, where the six casino operators generated gross gaming (GGR) revenue of $30.9 billion, 2026 has maintained the momentum. Through April, GGR at the city’s casinos tallied more than $10.6 billion, which is 12.1% ahead of last year.
The rally comes amid a new Macau, a gaming market that no longer caters only to the VIP but also to those with deep pockets and an affinity for testing their luck.
The disappearance of junket groups, the former travel organizers that kept Macau’s private high roller suites lively for many years, a casualty of Beijing seeking to restrict the outflow of capital from the mainland to the gaming tax haven, has resulted in the casinos diversifying their attention. Premium and mass market players are now the focus, and the town is even marketing towards families and business gatherings, as the pivot from a high roller’s paradise to more of a Las Vegas-like setting endures.
Macau Tourism Strong
Analysts expected this first-half 2026 gaming rally, but have expressed less enthusiasm for the latter part of the year. With year-over-year comparisons described as “super tough,” the GGR numbers are expected to fall closer in line with 2025 results in the months ahead.
For now, the market remains bullish. Early numbers for the five-day Labor Day holiday, which began May 1, suggest Macau is becoming a preferred vacation destination for mainlanders of various demographics.
Macau’s Public Security Police Force counted more than 630K visitors during the first three days of the national holiday. The Golden Week honors China’s laborers and working classes.
On Saturday, May 2, about 474K visitors crossed into the Special Administrative Region. For the day, the boundary lines saw 889K comings and goings, a single-day visitor record.
Baccarat Side Bets
Looking ahead, the rollout of new side bets on baccarat, the game of choice in Macau, could help ease the year-over-year GGR outlook worries. Macau’s Gaming Inspection and Coordination Bureau recently approved the addition of several new baccarat side bets, including “Monkey No Monkey” and “Pairs+.”
In baccarat, “monkey” refers to cards with a value of zero, or face cards and 10s. In “Monkey No Monkey,” the bet wins when the initially dealt four cards for the player and banker are either all face cards or four numbered cards (including aces). The side bet pays 50:1 when the four cards are face cards, and 1:1 when the four cards are numbers or aces.
In “Pairs+,” the side bet wins when the player and/or banker is initially dealt a pair. The bet pays 3:1 when only the banker or player receives a pair. The payout is 30:1 when both the player and banker are dealt pairs.
The side bets, now live at casinos run by each of the six concessionaires, will increase the house’s edge on the game that is otherwise considered to be among the best games for players regardless of their skill. The banker bet in baccarat has a house edge of only about 1.06%, while the player bet is slightly higher at about 1.24%.
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