Macao’s casino industry generated gross gaming revenue (GGR) of 20.62 billion patacas (US$2.56 billion) in February, according to new data from the Gaming Inspection and Coordination Bureau.
When measured against the 19.74 billion patacas (US$2.46 billion) collected in February 2025, the current figure represents an increase of 4.5 percent. However, it marks a drop of 8.88 percent in comparison to the 22.63 billion patacas (US$2.8 billion) recorded in January 2026.
February’s year-on-year GGR growth is unsurprising, as that month coincided with the 9-day Lunar New Year holiday between 17 and 23 February, which greatly boosted Macao’s tourism sector, thanks to an influx of mainland visitor arrivals.
According to provisional data from the Macao Government Tourism Office (MGTO), approximately 1.55 million tourists entered Macao between 15 and 23 February. This is equivalent to an average of around 172,000 visitor arrivals per day, up 5.5 percent year-on-year.
Meanwhile, the city registered its highest-ever single-day figure for visitor arrivals on the third day of the Lunar New Year on 19 February, with a total of roughly 227,000 travellers.
Although the GGR grew in February, its rate of increase was much slower than in January, which saw local casinos report a growth of 24 percent year-on-year, or 8.35 percent month-on-month.
Overall, Macao’s GGR during the first two months of this year amounted to 43.26 billion patacas (US$5.36 billion), a growth of 13.9 percent year-on-year.
[See more: 2025 figures show Macao visitors spending more on non-gaming activities]
Looking ahead, Macao is officially projected to take in a GGR of 236 billion patacas (US$29.4 billion) for the whole of 2026, an increase of 3.5 percent in comparison to the government’s revised 228 billion patacas (US$28.4 billion) forecast for 2025.
Originally, the 2025 GGR projection had been set at 240 billion patacas (US$29.9 billion), although this was later revised due to the weaker-than-expected monthly casino revenue.
Analysts are much more upbeat when it comes to the 2026 GGR, with local experts such as Samuel Tong and Davis Fong telling local media that the revenue could reach as high as 260 billion patacas.
Similarly, research firm CreditSights highlighted last month that the SAR government’s 2026 forecast was “overly conservative,” as the local casino industry is expected to undergo robust growth during the first six months of this year, followed by a more balanced rise.
