Macau’s gross gaming revenue rose by 135.6 percent year-on-year to 7.3 billion patacas last month, the Gaming Inspection and Coordination Bureau (DICJ) announced yesterday.
Macau’s casinos were closed for a fortnight in February last year in the wake of the government’s strict COVID-19 prevention and control measures. Macau confirmed its first novel coronavirus case on January 22 last year. In February last year, the casino sector’s gross gaming revenue amounted to 3.1 billion patacas.
Month-on-month, gross gaming revenue fell by 8.8 percent in February. Chinese New Year (CNY) fell on February 12 this year. The Macau Government Tourism Office (MGTO) reported fewer visitor arrivals than expected during the weeklong CNY holiday.
In the first two months of the year, gross gaming revenue dropped by 39.2 percent year-on-year to 15.3 billion patacas.
Macau’s tourism and gaming sectors have been severely impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic.
Foreign nationals have been barred from entering Macau since March last year, but compatriots from the mainland, Hong Kong and Taiwan can enter Macau in line with specific COVID-19 control measures.
Customarily, over 80 percent of local casinos’ gamblers are visitors from the mainland and Hong Kong.
Local casinos’ receipts have been gradually improving since October last year.
