The number of licensed junket operators in Macau shrank 23% over the past 12 months and more are expected to exit the Macau VIP market.

From 183 licensed gaming promoters in Macau as of January 2015, the tally dwindled to 141, announced the Gaming Inspection and Coordination Bureau (DICJ). The figure includes 121 companies and 20 individuals.

Rob Goldstein, senior executive of casino operator Las Vegas Sands Corp., is expecting that more junket operators will exit the Macau VIP market but those that will remain appear to be in good health.

“The ones that are still standing – and we met with some of the top people there last week – …actually they’re in pretty good shape and there is sufficient liquidity,” said Goldstein during Sands’ company call earlier this week.