Who holds a licence
Every casino in Macau operates under one of six concessions:
- Galaxy Entertainment
- Melco Resorts & Entertainment
- MGM China
- Sands China
- SJM Holdings
- Wynn Macau
Three of those are the Asian arms of American groups covered elsewhere on this site. SJM is the successor to Stanley Ho's monopoly, which held every Macau casino licence from 1962 until 2002.
What that structure means
A closed six-operator market produces unusually uniform conditions. Rules, minimums and games are broadly consistent across properties, because the same handful of companies set them under the same regulator.
The regulator is the Gaming Inspection and Coordination Bureau, and the minimum age is 21, raised from 18 in 2012 and applying to casino employment as well as play.
Genting bid to become a seventh operator in 2022 and did not succeed. The concession structure has been closed since.
A market that runs on one game
Macau's revenue concentration in baccarat is unlike anywhere else. The game dominates the floor to a degree that no Western market approaches, which is why the mass-market floor looks so different from Las Vegas.
Our baccarat section computes exactly what that game costs by walking the complete game tree for an eight-deck shoe: 1.06% on banker, 1.24% on player and 14.36% on the tie.
Our Macau guide covers the Cotai resorts and the peninsula.
Where you will find it
What the operator does not decide
Branding varies between groups; the mathematics does not. A pass line bet costs 1.41% at every casino in the world, and the things that genuinely change what you pay are printed on the felt: our 6:5 blackjack and European against American wheels pages cover the two worth checking first.
Where the operator does matter is comps, since loyalty programmes are set at group level and play recorded at one property produces offers across the whole estate.
Frequently Asked Questions
- How many properties does Macau six have on the Las Vegas Strip?
- See the page for its portfolio.
- When was this checked?
- Against company statements and gaming trade press in August 2026.
Ownership, property counts and transactions on this page were checked against company statements, filings and established gaming trade press in August 2026. Where a deal is proposed rather than completed the page says so, because several of these are mid-transaction and may not close. Corporate structures change; the official links above are the authority.