Macao casinos’ gross gaming revenue (GGR) plummeted 68.1 per cent year-on-year to MOP 2.68 billion (US$331 million) last month, the Gaming Inspection and Coordination Bureau (DICJ) announced today.
Last month’s MOP 2.68 billion GGR was the lowest since September 2020, which stood at MOP 2.21 billion.
February was the only month this year to record year-on-year GGR growth, at 6.1 per cent.
Analysts blamed the resurgence of the novel coronavirus in neighbouring regions, leading to tightened Covid-19 control and prevention measures, for last month’s sharp GGR decrease.
GGR in the first four months of the year dropped 36.2 per cent to MOP 20.45 billion. Last year, the Macao government estimated that revenues from gaming in 2022 will reach MOP 130 billion.
Macao’s six gaming operators comprise SJM (21 casinos), Galaxy (6), Venetian Macau (5), Melco Crown (4), MGM (2) and Wynn Resorts (2).
At the end of March, according to the gaming regulator, Macao registered 6,025 gaming tables and 11,615 slot-machines.
The numbers contrast sharply with the end of 2019, when Macao had 6,739 gaming tables and 17,009 slot machines. The city confirmed its first Covid-19 case in January 2020. In April 2022, there were 40 casinos in operation.
