Macau’s casino sector continued its annual pattern of discretionary bonus announcements as MGM China and Melco Resorts confirmed they will award an extra month of salary to a broad group of employees for their work in 2025. The decisions follow similar steps taken by other concessionaires during the traditional year-end bonus period among the city’s six gaming operators.

Company Leaders Highlight Employee Contributions

MGM China stated that around 95 percent of its workforce will receive the discretionary payment, with distribution scheduled to begin on January 21. A separate announcement placed the figure at approximately 97 percent of the company’s employees and set the same start date for bonus disbursement in 2026. The payment was described as recognition for dedication and contributions throughout the previous year. MGM China operates a pair of integrated resorts: MGM Macau on the peninsula and MGM Cotai in the Cotai district.

Melco Resorts & Entertainment confirmed a one-month discretionary bonus of its own covering eligible non-management colleagues in Macau and Hong Kong. The company expects to complete payment by the end of January 2026. Among the city’s concessionaires, Melco’s declaration came after Galaxy Entertainment Group initiated the bonus cycle earlier in the week.

Executives from both MGM China and Melco pointed to staff performance during the previous year as the basis for the bonus payments. At MGM China, chairperson and executive director Pansy Ho described the gesture as rooted in employee effort across 2025. “This is a gesture of appreciation for the dedication and hard work of our team,” she said. Ho noted that the company “carried forward the momentum of a new chapter by continuously optimising our innovative products and service experiences, achieving steady progress in our business development.”

Ho also commented on the company’s broader positioning. She said MGM would continue to focus on guests in line with the philosophy of “Originality + Innovation” and added, “We remain dedicated to contributing to Macau’s positioning as a world-class tourism and leisure hub through the ongoing introduction of more diversified tourism offerings.”

Melco Resorts & Entertainment chairman and CEO Lawrence Ho said the company pursued a similar approach in acknowledging staff. “The discretionary bonus payment acknowledges our colleagues’ dedication and support throughout the past year,” he said, as reported by Asia Gaming Brief. Ho added, “We sincerely appreciate their loyalty and commitment in consistently exceeding guest expectations, which together help the company maintain and excel its leadership position within the entertainment and hospitality industry.”

Sequential Announcements Within Macau’s Gaming Sector

Discretionary bonuses are a familiar feature of Macau’s gaming industry as operators signal appreciation for frontline staff during the conclusion of the operating year. Galaxy Entertainment Group initiated the bonus sequence, which led to subsequent statements from counterparts across the concession cohort. MGM China was the fourth of the six operators to confirm a one-month salary bonus tied to 2025 results, while Melco emerged as the second to make its announcement after Galaxy.

Both companies posted performance details in late 2025. Melco reported in November an 11.4 percent year-on-year increase in total operating revenues to US$1.31 billion in the three months to September 30, supported by a 12.4 percent increase in gaming revenues to US$1.06 billion during the same period. MGM China referenced business progress for 2025 but did not disclose financial figures in its announcement, instead pointing to product and service optimisation and steady development during the year.

The latest statements align with Macau’s ongoing effort to expand tourism offerings and diversify the city’s draw beyond gaming tables. Operators regularly frame investments in hospitality, entertainment and guest services as part of that effort. MGM China cited its commitment to enhancing Macau’s presence as a tourism and leisure destination, while Melco referenced service delivery and guest experience within the entertainment and hospitality industry as areas shaped by employee performance.

Macau’s concessionaires historically time discretionary bonus announcements near the start of the new calendar year, with bonus levels often measured against a month of salary. Eligibility criteria vary by company and, in Melco’s case, applied to non-management staff across Macau and Hong Kong. MGM China’s eligibility reached the overwhelming majority of its workforce, as shown by the 95 to 97 percent figures disclosed in its statements.