Macau’s May casino revenue soars 366% on visitor influx
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CASINO revenues in Macau, the world’s biggest gambling hub, surged 366 per cent from a year ago to total 15.6 billion patacas (S$2.62 billion) in May.
This is the highest figure since January 2020, when the Covid-19 pandemic had yet to fully grip China.
The monthly take was bolstered by a five-day national holiday, when hundreds of thousands of visitors flocked to the special administrative region of China, which is the only place where Chinese citizens can legally gamble in casinos. China lifted strict Covid-19 restrictions in January, allowing visitors to swarm into Macau for the first time in more than three years.
Around 500,000 people visited the former Portuguese colony during the five-day Labour Day holiday at the start of May, crowding onto its pastel-coloured streets surrounding historical sights – such as Senado Square and the Ruins of St Paul’s – and packing its glitzy casinos.
Authorities are keen to diversify sources of income in Macau, which depends on casinos for more than 80 per cent of its government revenues, and have imposed strict new regulations on its six casino operators.
The rush of visitors comes as the densely populated territory grapples with an acute labour shortage, a key concern for casino operators Sands China, Wynn Macau, MGM China, SJM Holdings, Galaxy Entertainment and Melco Resorts.
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Last week, Sands officially opened its Londoner casino resort, which includes a 6,000-seat arena and attractions including a replica of London’s Big Ben clock tower.
It was the first big casino opening since the start of the Covid-19 pandemic, and was attended by former England football captain David Beckham, who drew scores of fans to the property.
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