Macao’s gross revenue from games of chance fell 93.2 per cent year-on-year to MOP 1.76 billion (US$221 million) last month, the Gaming Inspection and Coordination Bureau (DICJ) announced today.
It was the second steepest year-on-year decline this year, after April’s 96.8 per cent plunge.
However, gross gaming revenue was up 134 per cent month-on-month. April’s revenue amounted to a mere MOP 754 million, the lowest of any month this year.
Casinos’ revenue in the first five months dropped 73.7 per cent to MOP 33.0 billion.
At the end of March (the latest available DICJ data), Macao had 41 casinos owned by the city’s six rival operators. Four of the casinos had their operations suspended.
At the end of the first quarter, the gaming industry had 5,533 gaming tables in operation, a decline of 17.9 per cent from the end of last year. The number of slot machines in operation decreased by 57.5 per cent quarter-on-quarter to 7,216.
Macao’s economy, which is heavily dependent on gaming, tourism and retail businesses, has been severely affected by the impact of the novel coronavirus pandemic.
However, Macao has been spared a community outbreak of the highly contagious disease. All 45 COVID-19 patients have been discharged. No deaths have been reported. Observers have noted that close to 100 per cent of people in Macao have been wearing facemasks since late January. The Macao government has so far bought some 76 million facemasks for local residents and non-resident workers who are entitled to buying 10 facemasks every 10 days for just MOP 8 (US$1) from designated pharmacies and other outlets.
(The Macau Post Daily/Macau News)
