VIP Rates

(Last updated: August 19, 2026)

Most casinos in Macau offer promotional chip programs for high rolling VIP guests, who are also called “whales”. In most cases, these chips cannot be exchanged for cash, and may only be used for gambling, although exceptions are sometimes made at smaller casinos, where buy in figures are significantly lower.

Also referred to as “dead chips”, promotional chips are easy to identify. They are larger than normal cash chips and are square rather than circular. Players are paid in normal cash chips when they win bets, and surrender promotional chips when they lose. Once they run out of promotional chips, they can exchange their accumulated cash chips for more promotional chips, thereby generating more rolling turnover, or simply cash out.

For players betting large sums on Baccarat, these programs can substantially reduce the house edge through cash back rebates. The only game you’ll be able to play is Baccarat, and the chart below shows the adjusted house edge for the Banker and Player bet, after taking the cash back rebate into account.

A quick note: Macau regulations cap promotional chip rebates at 1.25%, so don’t expect to find rates above that regardless of the operator.

Foreigner only VIP

In an effort to attract more international high rollers, two casinos now offer non-mainland, Hong Kong and Taiwanese players slightly higher commissions than what they give to locals.

City of Dreams