Macau, China, July 1, 2025 (Lusa) - Casino revenue in Macau rose 19% in June compared to the same month in 2024, the biggest annual increase since May last year, it was announced on Tuesday.
Casinos collected nearly 21.1 billion patacas (€2.22 billion) in July, according to data from the Gambling Inspection and Coordination Bureau (DICJ) of the semi-autonomous Chinese region.
The gambling sector recorded its fifth consecutive month of year-on-year growth, after starting 2025 with a 5.6% year-on-year decline in January, justified by the fact that the Lunar New Year tourist peak occurred later this year.
The increase in casino revenues also accelerated for the third consecutive month.
This figure was higher than expected by Citigroup, which had initially forecast revenues of 19 billion patacas (€2 billion) for the month, which would have meant a year-on-year increase of 7.4%.
On 23 June, however, Citigroup analysts said that it would not be surprising if the figure were higher, thanks to concerts by Hong Kong musician Jacky Cheung, which began on 20 June and run until 5 July.
JP Morgan Securities analysts also said that casinos had benefited from two concerts in Macau on 7 and 8 June by South Korean pop star G-Dragon.
The casino sector is having its best start to the year since 2019, before the start of the Covid-19 pandemic.
Between January and June, Macau casinos recorded total revenues of 118.8 billion patacas (€12.5 billion), 4.4% more than in the same period in 2024.
This figure represents 79.4% of the total for the first half of 2019.
On 12 June, Citigroup predicted that casino sector revenues will grow 6% in the second quarter of 2025, closing the year with an increase of 4% to 235.7 billion patacas (€24.9 billion).
Macau had total casino revenues of 226.8 billion patacas (€27.4 billion) in 2024, 23.9% more than in 2022, but only 73.2% of the figure recorded in 2019, before the Covid-19 pandemic.
In its initial budget for 2025, the Macau government predicted that the year would close with total revenues of 240 billion patacas (€27.7 billion), representing an increase of 6% compared to last year.
However, on 11 June, the territory's Parliament approved a new budget, proposed by the Executive, which reduces the forecast for public revenue by 4.56 billion patacas (€494.6 million).
The Secretary for Economy and Finance, Anton Tai Kin Ip, disclosed to MPs that the cut was due to the fact that casino revenue in the first quarter of 2025 was ‘slightly below expectations’.
The world's gambling capital, Macau is the only place in China where casino gambling is legal.
VQ/AYLS // AYLS
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