\n Posted on: January 22, 2026, 12:44h.\u00a0\n <\/p>\n
\n Last updated on: January 21, 2026, 03:11h.\n <\/p>\n
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- Macau is seeing more people than ever seeking help for their gambling disorders<\/strong><\/li>\n
- A record number of people self-excluded from casinos in 2025<\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
Macau is experiencing a rise in problem gambling. The increase in the number of people seeking help for their gambling comes after the enclave\u2019s casinos pivoted from the VIP and high roller to the premium mass and general public player.<\/span><\/p>\n
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People wait on a bus that\u2019s enroute to Wynn Macau. Macau\u2019s focus on the mass and general public is leading to higher rates of problem gambling in the Chinese region. (Image: AFP via Getty Images)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n Macau is the world\u2019s richest casino market, with the six gaming operators combining to win $30.9 billion<\/a> from their table games and slot machines in 2025. The $30.9 billion was the highest annual gross gaming revenue (GGR) mark since 2019.<\/span><\/p>\n
How Macau\u2019s casinos generate GGR, however, has changed drastically since the COVID-19 pandemic. Once a gambling hub largely reserved for Mainland China\u2019s wealthiest elite, Beijing used the global health crisis to alter how Macau ticks.<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n
The People\u2019s Republic and President Xi Jinping shuttered the VIP junket model. The businesses were accused of facilitating the transfer of money from the communist regime to Macau, a Special Administration Region under Chinese control that\u2019s considered a tax haven.<\/span><\/p>\n
Junkets and Macau\u2019s casinos colluded to bring mainland high rollers to the city. Customers were typically afforded a line of casino credit close to the amount of money they paid the junket for their lavish trip and accommodations. Such high rollers gambled in private rooms on high-stakes games of baccarat, with per-bet hands often upwards of $10,000.<\/span><\/p>\n
Macau Problem Gambling<\/b><\/span>\u00a0<\/b><\/span><\/h2>\n
In exchange for 10-year casino license extensions, Beijing and Macau forced Sands, Wynn, MGM, Galaxy, Melco, and SJM to invest $16 billion in non-gaming projects. The agreement was designed to alter Macau from a high-stakes gambling paradise to a destination for leisure travel, family-friendly vacations, and business.<\/span><\/p>\n
- A record number of people self-excluded from casinos in 2025<\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n