Macau casinos' gross revenues rose by 58 percent year-on-year to 8.3 billion patacas (US$1.03 billion) last month, the Gaming Inspection and Coordination Bureau (DICJ) announced today.
Month-to-month, the casino sector's takings increased by 13.6 percent. Last month generated the sector's highest revenues since January last year.
In the first quarter, the sector's receipts fell by 22.5 percent to 23.6 billion patacas.
Macau confirmed its first COVID-19 case on January 22 last year. Foreign nationals without the right of abode in Macau have been barred from entering the special administrative region since March last year. However, mainland Chinese, Hong Kong and Taiwan visitors can enter Macau under strict prevention measures that have periodically been adjusted in line with COVID-19 developments in the three regions.
Mainlanders and Hongkongers are local casinos' main client segments, accounting for about 90 percent of all gamblers, according to analysts.
At the end of last year, the sector comprised 41 casinos owned by six rival operators. SJM owned 22 of the casinos, but four of which were not operating.
