Macau Gambling Revenue – Statistics and Facts

Macau legalized gambling as early as 1847 in an effort to diversify its economy and bring in additional revenue to its empty coffers. The former Portuguese colony has come a long way since then and is currently regarded as the largest gambling hub in the world. The landbased gaming industry is a principal source of both employment and revenue for China’s special administrative region.

The coronavirus and the travel restrictions that ensued in mainland China dealt a heavy blow to the local gambling sector, causing the gross gaming revenue (GGR) in Macau to decline by over 85% between 2019 and 2022. GGR dropped to a record low in July 2022 when Macanese casinos reported a laughable MOP$419 million (US$51.96 million) in earnings. With the easing of the restrictive measures, the gambling industry has started to rebound, although it is yet to fully recover to pre-pandemic levels.

Gaming venues in the special administrative region collected MOP$17.2 billion in August 2023 alone, an indicator that Macau is on the path to recovery. This report by SuperCasinoSites paints Macau’s gambling industry in figures, providing exhaustive information about overall gaming revenue, earnings from different gambling activities, visitor and casino employment rates. Also included is statistical information about the largest landbased casinos in the “gambling capital of the world”, as Macau is frequently referred to.

Macau’s Gross Gaming Revenue (2012-2022)

Macau is fittingly referred to as the Monte Carlo of the East, although its monthly gross gaming revenue (GGR) greatly surpasses that of Monaco’s administrative area. The former Portuguese colony consistently outperformed Nevada in this metric prior to the coronavirus pandemic, which caused a severe dent in local casinos’ earnings.

Looking at official data for the last ten years, we see that gross gaming revenue peaked in 2013 when casinos in the special administrative region reported MOP$361.87 billion in earnings. Revenue declined slightly the following year, dropping by 2.5% to MOP$352.71 billion.

This marked the first decrease Macau’s gaming industry had witnessed since local authorities started publishing official GGR data four years earlier. Some analysts attributed the mild downturn to the 2014 FIFA World Cup, claiming that the championship diverted the attention of gamblers from casino gaming to soccer punting.

Source: Macau Statistics and Census Service

GGR remained relatively stable in the years to follow mainly due to the consistent spending of tourists arriving from mainland China where gambling is generally illegal. And then the coronavirus pandemic unleashed itself onto the world. The border and travel restrictions imposed by the Chinese government severely affected Macau’s gaming sector.

In the absence of Chinese visitors, the industry witnessed its steepest decline in 2022 when GGR hit an all-time low at MOP$42.84 billion. This makes for a 85.4% decrease compared to 2019 when the sector posted MOP$293.31 billion in earnings.

Games of chance are the biggest earners in terms of gross gambling revenue, followed by sports lotteries, horse racing, and the Chinese lottery. Here is how each of these segments of the industry performed in 2022 compared to the previous year.

On the Path to Recovery

Things took a positive turn for the gambling industry in the administrative region after the Chinese government eased the restrictions and reopened the borders in early January 2023. Official data released by the Macanese government indicates a significant upturn during the first half of the year. The overall gross gaming revenue reported for the period from January to June stands at MOP$80.46 billion, which is 87.8% more than what the industry generated in the entire 2022.

From what we see, May 2023 was the most successful month in terms of profitability with MOP$15.63 billion in GGR. This figure represents an impressive 361.2% increase year-on-year compared to the same month in 2022 when the total gaming revenue was a meager MOP$3.39 billion. February was the slowest month for the gaming industry but casinos still reported a 32.8% year-on-year increase with MOP$10.37 billion in revenue.

Source: Macau Statistics and Census Service

Games of Chance Are Macau’s Top Earners

By rule of thumb, games of chance account for the largest portion of local casinos’ revenue (98.5% in 2022, 99.2% in 2021, and 99% in 2020), so we decided to see how much money they accounted for annually each year from 2012 to 2022.

The category is rather broad and includes games like baccarat, blackjack, roulette, house-banked poker, Sic Bo (Cussec), Fan Tan, craps, keno, and slot machines, among others. Looking at the data below, revenue from these games was at its highest in 2013 when they brought in MOP$360.75 billion to the Macanese casinos’ coffers.

Source: Macau Statistics and Census Service

As is to be expected, the pandemic caused a dramatic decline of 85.6% as revenue from chance-based games plummeted from MOP$292.46 billion in 2019 to MOP$42.2 billion in 2022. Games of chance experienced their worst decline ever in July 2022 when they generated only MOP$398 million in GGR.

The sector gradually started to recover after the lifting of the coronavirus curbs in early 2023. Chance-based games continue to rebound steadily, albeit slowly, as gross revenue rose to MOP$17.21 billion this August, up 686.3% from the same month the previous year. Look at the graph below, to see how the monthly earnings in 2023 compare to those for the same period the previous year.

Source: Macau Statistics and Census Service

Highest-Grossing Games of Chance in Macau

The world’s largest gambling hub offers a kaleidoscope of gaming options to visitors but VIP baccarat accounts for the largest portion of gross revenue generated from chance-based games. Played in dedicated private rooms, this high-stakes baccarat variation is a major attraction for high-rollers from mainland China who often borrow money from local junket operators to play.

This enables them to evade the restrictions imposed on moving large amounts out of their country. The borrowed capital is then repaid with mainland money when the high-rollers return to China. VIP baccarat accounted for nearly a quarter of Macau’s total gross gaming revenue in 2022, followed by standard baccarat, slot machines, Sic Bo, and blackjack. Here is how much money the five games brought into the coffers of Macanese casinos last year. The numbers are rounded to two decimal places.

Given that high-rollers risk thousands per hand at the private baccarat tables, it is hardly surprising VIP baccarat has been consistently outperforming all other legal forms of betting in the world’s largest gambling hub. Official figures from the last decade reveal that GGR from VIP baccarat peaked in 2013 when high-rollers collectively poured MOP$238.52 billion into the coffers of Macanese casinos. The biggest slump unsurprisingly occurred in 2022 when coronavirus-related restrictions were at their tightest.

Source: Macau Statistics and Census Service

The standard variation of baccarat made up approximately 61.6% of the administrative region’s total gaming revenue in 2022, generating MOP$15.85 billion more than its high-roller counterpart. Revenue from this game was at its highest in 2019 before the coronavirus pandemic started. Casinos in the Las Vegas of the East reported record earnings of MOP$120.77 billion from their baccarat tables during this twelve-month period. The next three years to follow saw a severe decline in baccarat GGR, which slumped to a record low in 2022.

Source: Macau Statistics and Census Service

Slot machines outnumber gaming tables by a wide margin as there are nearly twice as many slots as table games in Macanese casinos. One would expect them to rack in a significant portion of Macau’s gaming revenue but surprisingly this is not the case. Slot machines accounted for a paltry 7.4% of last year’s earnings. Gambling operators reported a combined revenue of MOP$3.12 billion from slot machines.

Figures from the last decade show 2019 was the most profitable year for slot machines as they brought in MOP$15.14 billion for this twelve-month period. Cultural aversion to this type of gambling is perhaps the main reason for slots’ underperformance. Asian gamblers tend to prefer table games like baccarat because many believe they can impact the results by identifying patterns or choosing lucky numbers to bet on. As flawed as this thinking is, it has a pronounced negative impact on Macau’s slot machine revenue.

Source: Macau Statistics and Census Service

Sic Bo, commonly referred to as ‘Cussec’ by Macanese gamblers, is the fourth highest-performing game of chance in the special administrative region. It carries a higher house edge compared to baccarat, which may at least partially explain its diminishing popularity among Asian gamblers.

In 2022, the dice game accounted for a meager 2.2% of local casinos’ earnings, with MOP$0.92 billion in GGR. As you can see below, Sic Bo showed a consistent increase in revenue between 2015 and 2019 but the pandemic that ensued the following year put an end to this growth.

Source: Macau Statistics and Census Service

Blackjack is king in Nevada but things are quite different on the other side of the Pacific. While it ranks as the fifth most profitable game in China’s special administrative region, blackjack was responsible for a tiny percentage (1%) of the overall gaming revenue Macanese casinos generated in 2022. The game of 21 earned only MOP$0.42 billion in GGR last year, which makes for an 85.5% decrease compared to pre-pandemic levels. Revenue from this otherwise enticing game has been declining since 2019 and is yet to see a recovery.

Source: Macau Statistics and Census Service

Other gaming activities were not as profitable for the casino gaming concessionaires in China’s special administrative region. Some like mahjong generated no profits whatsoever, while others like Casino War performed extremely poorly in 2022. Data pulled from the Gaming Inspection and Coordination Bureau suggests hold’em poker, craps, and stud poker were among the least profitable games last year.

Excluding the games of chance we previously discussed, live multi-gaming (LMG) seems to be the highest-grossing type of casino gambling activity. These are integrated gaming terminals that enable a single dealer to host several casino games at the same time. The outcomes are reported to each participating gambler’s terminal. The LMG technology enables Macanese casinos to cut their expenses as fewer dealers are required on duty and a single live table can link to multiple gaming terminals.

Source: Gaming Inspection and Coordination Bureau of Macau

Parimutuel Betting and Lotteries Drag Behind

Compared to table games like baccarat, parimutuel betting and lotteries in Macau drag behind both in terms of popularity and handle. The sector has generated a handle of MOP$95.81 billion during the past decade. The ‘handle’ metric measures the overall amount of money wagered within a specific period of time. It helps determine the size of the lottery and sports betting market in the region.

Official data from the Macau Statistics and Census Service reveals that the handle from parimutuels and lotteries peaked in 2014 at MOP$10.40 billion but started to gradually decrease in the years to follow. In 2020, the handle from this segment dropped to MOP$6.04 billion, a record low for the last decade. This downturn could be at least partially attributed to the declining popularity of horse racing in the region. The Macau Jockey Club has been on a downward spiral since 2005 and reported losing a record MOP$2.1 billion last year alone.

Source: Macau Statistics and Census Service

According to the Gaming Inspection and Coordination Bureau of Macau, soccer and basketball sports lotteries attract the most action in the administrative region. In 2022, gamblers collectively wagered MOP$3.86 billion on soccer and MOP$2.16 billion on basketball. Greyhound betting is no longer available to Macanese punters.

Dog races were discontinued in 2018 after the Yat Yuen Canidrome finally shut down after years of declining revenue. Horse racing ranks third with a handle of MOP$193 million, followed by Chinese lotteries (MOP$56 million). The handle from instant lotteries is almost non-existent, so we have not included it in the breakdown below.

Source: Gaming Inspection and Coordination Bureau of Macau

Tax Revenue from Gaming

So how much money does the Macanese government collect from the gaming industry? The short answer is a lot but to be more precise, as much as MOP$19.12 billion went into the government’s coffers in 2022 alone. However, this amount seems insignificant compared to the taxes collected before the pandemic disrupted the operations of local casinos.

Tax revenue from gaming has shrunk by 83% since 2019 and this spells trouble for the special administrative region whose economy is severely reliant on the gambling industry. As a means of coping with this issue, the authorities decided to overhaul their concession terms.

The new concession contracts that came into effect at the beginning of 2023 require each authorized casino operator to heavily invest in projects that are not directly related to gambling. The concessionaires have pledged combined non-gambling investments of MOP$108.7 billion. The table below demonstrates how tax revenue from gaming has fluctuated between 2012 and 2022.

Source: Gaming Inspection and Coordination Bureau of Macau

For clarification, the Macanese government taxes concessionaires at a rate of 35% of their gross gaming revenue, which is quite steep. Casino operators contributed MOP$26.8 billion in taxes during the first half of 2023 alone, which is a whopping 39.6% increase from the entire twelve-month period from January to December 2022.

Macau Has Fewer Casinos Than It Did Two Years Ago

Macau offers no shortage of options to visitors looking to enjoy some gaming action in a setting that exudes luxury and sophistication. The gambling hub is home to 30 casinos at the time of publication, including world-renowned integrated resorts like The Venetian Macau, Grand Lisboa, and Wynn Macau.

The number of casinos in the former Portuguese colony was consistently on the rise between 2012 and 2021, gradually increasing from 35 to 42 within this period. However, some properties like The 13 Hotel and Casino declared insolvency during the pandemic as a result of poor financial performance.

Source: Macau Statistics and Census Service

Gaming Tables and Slot Machines Are Also Declining in Number

Under the terms of the 2023-2032 concessions, casino concessionaires in Macau can operate no more than 6,000 gaming tables and 12,000 slot machines. This makes for reductions of 13% for tables and 3% for slot machines compared to the caps imposed under the previous concessions that expired at the end of 2022.

The local government imposed these caps in an attempt to gain greater control over gaming concessionaires. Additionally, the operators must now meet minimum gross revenue requirements of MOP$7 million per table and MOP$300,000 per slot machine. Concessionaires who fail to satisfy these requirements must pay the shortage themselves.

The coronavirus disruptions have caused both gaming tables and slot machines to decline in number. Figures published by the Macau Statistics and Census Service show the number of tables has dropped by 1,134 in 2022, representing a decrease of 16.8% compared to pre-pandemic levels.

Respectively, slot machines declined from 17,009 in 2019 to 10,775 in 2022, which makes for a 36.7% decrease. Check out the graphic below to learn how the quantity of gaming tables and slots has changed throughout the past decade.

Source: Macau Statistics and Census Service

Macau Has Six Casino Resort Concessionaires

Companies must secure concessions from the Macanese government in order to operate landbased casinos in the special administrative region. Concessions are basically operating agreements with the local authorities that are awarded via an international public tender.

At the time of publication, there are six concessionaires in the gambling hub and their number has not changed for years. However, the number of casino properties operated by each concessionaire has, as the table below clearly demonstrates.

Source: Gaming Inspection and Coordination Bureau of Macau

The existing concessions were renewed by the government in mid-December 2022, with a ten-year period of validity that started in early 2023 and will run until the end of 2032. Here are the six companies that signed agreements granting them the right to operate casino resorts in the administrative region.

Source: Official Company Reports

Macau Is Home to 5 of the World’s Largest Casinos

China’s special administrative region is home to five of the world’s largest casinos in terms of square footage. Las Vegas Sands’ The Venetian Macao is the second largest landbased casino on a global scale. The luxurious venue stretches over 546,000 square feet of gaming space and is eclipsed only by Oklahoma’s WinStar World Casino & Resort (600,000 sq ft). Here are Macau’s top 5 casinos ranked by gaming-floor size.

Located on the Cotai Strip, The Venetian Macao is an established brand with a broad global and regional appeal. Apart from housing an enormous gaming floor, the property offers 2,905 luxury suites, 316 boutiques and retail stores, 56 restaurants, an enormous theater that seats 1,800 spectators, and an indoor arena with a seating capacity for 15,000 people. The Venetian Macao is courtesy of the Las Vegas Sands Corporation, which operates four other large-scale casino resorts in the special administrative region, including those listed below.

Source: Las Vegas Sands 2022 Annual Report

MGM Cotai is among the newest integrated resorts to grace Macau’s Cotai Strip as it opened doors in mid-February 2018. In addition to the gaming area, the five-star property comprises two towers that house 1,418 luxury suites and hotel rooms, 12 restaurants and bars, and convention centers that measure around 30,872 square feet.

Source: MGM China Holdings 2022 Annual Report

There could not be a more fitting brand name for this sophisticated integrated casino resort where dreams become reality, especially if you are a gambler. Gaming visitors faced a choice of 447 tables and 677 slot machines in 2022 when the property operated at a reduced capacity due to the pandemic-related restrictions imposed by the government. Additionally, the resort houses four hotels (Nüwa, Morpheus, Grand Hyatt, The Countdown) with more than 1,830 rooms and luxury suites in total. The Countdown Hotel is currently under redevelopment as part of a recent rebranding.

Source: Melco Resorts & Entertainment Annual Report 2022

Located on the Cotai Strip, Wynn Palace includes a 424,000-square-foot casino with hundreds of gaming tables and over a thousand gaming machines. On top of the gaming area, visitors of the luxury resort will benefit from 14 restaurants and bars, 1,706 guest rooms and suites, and around 37,000 square feet of conference and meeting space.

Source: Wynn Resorts Concession Agreement Press Release

Galaxy Macau commenced operations in 2011 but underwent considerable expansion over the next four years. Until recently, the property featured five first-rate hotels (Banyan Tree, Hotel Okura, Ritz-Carlton, JW Marriott, and Galaxy Hotel) that house 3,600 guest rooms in total.

August 2023 saw the soft opening of yet another hotel, Raffles at Galaxy Macau, as part of Phase 3 of the complex’s expansion. More than 120 fine dining options are available to guests, along with a ten-screen cinema complex, an enormous sky-top waterpark, and a 100,000-square-foot shopping center that showcases products from more than 200 luxury brands.

Gaming Revenue of Macau’s Casinos

Casinos in the special administrative region posted underwhelming revenue in 2022, largely as a result of the pandemic-related closures. When open, the casinos operated at a reduced capacity which did nothing to improve their revenue stream. This section contains in-depth information about the GGR concessionaires collected from their Macau casinos for the 2022 financial year.

Galaxy Entertainment reported a total net revenue of HK$11.47 billion in 2022, which represents a 41.7% decline from the previous financial year when the company posted net earnings of approximately HK$19.7 billion. The gaming segment accounted for the largest portion (57.3%) of the money earned by the concessionaire, as you can see in the breakdown below.

Galaxy Macau outperformed all other integrated resorts operated by the Hong Kong-based group, bringing in HK$5.56 billion in net gaming revenue. Starworld Macau was the second-best performer revenue-wise, followed by the City Club casinos and Broadway Macau, which accounted for a negligible portion of the group’s profits in 2022.

Despite its poor financial performance, Broadway Macau was the only Galaxy Entertainment property to report growth as it brought in HK$60 million in net revenue, a 5% increase year-on-year. Earnings from City Clubs dropped by 2% year-on-year as the venues posted a combined HK$61 million in profits.

Source: Galaxy Entertainment Annual Report for 2022

Similarly to Galaxy Entertainment, SJM Holdings relied predominantly on its gaming segment for its revenue. As much as 91% of the company’s overall net earnings in 2022 came from gambling, with guest rooms, retail shops, leasing, and catering contributing only HK$623 million to SJM Holdings’ profits. The company reported a reduction of approximately 36.6% in net gaming revenue compared to the previous financial year.

The concessionaire cited the decline in visitations to the special administrative region as the reason for this downturn as 2.01 million fewer tourists visited Macau compared to 2021. On the positive side of things, the group’s share of the overall gaming revenue in the region rose from 12.3% in 2021 to 15.8% in 2022.

• Overall Net Revenue: HK$6.68 billion in 2022 (decreased by 33.7% from the previous year when SJM reported HK$10.08 billion in total earnings)
• Net Revenue from Gaming: HK$6.09 billion (a 36.6% year-on-year drop from HK$9.61 billion)
• GGR of All SJM Casinos: HK$6.46 billion (a 37.7% reduction from HK$10.37 billion in 2021)
• Revenue from Non-Gaming Activities: HK$0.62 billion (increased by around 5% year on year from HK$0.59 billion)
• GGR from VIP Gaming Tables: HK$0.49 billion (down 64.2% from HK$1.36 billion in 2021)
• GGR from Other Gaming Tables: HK$5.55 billion (down 34.5% from HK$8.47 billion in 2021)
• GGR from Slot Machines: HK$0.42 billion (down 22.5% from HK$0.54 billion in 2021)

Grand Lisboa Palace and Casino Grand Lisboa saw increases in gross gaming revenue last year, with most of the profits coming from their mass-market gaming tables. Third-party-promoted casinos like Ponte 16, Legend Palace, and L’Arc Macau brought in a combined HK$3.79 billion in GGR, while other satellite casinos racked up gross profits of HK$1.25 billion for a 15.9% decrease.

Source: Galaxy Entertainment Annual Report for 2022

Similarly to Galaxy Entertainment, SJM Holdings relied predominantly on its gaming segment for its revenue. As much as 91% of the company’s overall net earnings in 2022 came from gambling, with guest rooms, retail shops, leasing, and catering contributing only HK$623 million to SJM Holdings’ profits. The company reported a reduction of approximately 36.6% in net gaming revenue compared to the previous financial year.

The concessionaire cited the decline in visitations to the special administrative region as the reason for this downturn as 2.01 million fewer tourists visited Macau compared to 2021. On the positive side of things, the group’s share of the overall gaming revenue in the region rose from 12.3% in 2021 to 15.8% in 2022.

Grand Lisboa Palace and Casino Grand Lisboa saw increases in gross gaming revenue last year, with most of the profits coming from their mass-market gaming tables. Third-party-promoted casinos like Ponte 16, Legend Palace, and L’Arc Macau brought in a combined HK$3.79 billion in GGR, while other satellite casinos racked up gross profits of HK$1.25 billion for a 15.9% decrease.

Source: SJM Holdings Limited 2022 Annual Report

Wynn Resorts operates two integrated casinos in the special administrative region, Wynn Macau and Wynn Palace. The company recorded total operating revenues of US$3.76 billion in 2022, a figure that is nearly identical to the financial results for the previous year.

Most of these earnings came from Wynn’s operations in Las Vegas, however. Wynn Macau and Wynn Palace underperformed severely, reporting revenue reductions of 50.3% and 53.5%, respectively. Parent company Wynn Resorts subsequently decided to extend a helping hand to its subsidiary by granting it a loan of $500 million.

• Overall Operating Revenue: US$3.756 billion (down 0.2% from US$3.763 billion)
• Gaming Revenue: US$1.63 billion (down 23.5% from US$2.13 billion)
• Revenue from Hotel Rooms: US$0.80 billion (up 26.3% from US$0.59 billion)
• Revenue from Restaurants and Bars: US$0.85 billion (up 25.9% from US$0.63 billion)
• Revenue from Retail Shopping and Entertainment: US$0.48 billion (up 16.7% from US$0.40 billion)

Wynn Macau and Wynn Palace were negatively affected by the two-week closures of gambling venues that took place in July 2022. The travel restrictions enforced by the Chinese government further contributed to their underwhelming performance during the last full financial year. As a result of these adverse circumstances, Wynn Palace suffered a 62.3% reduction in gaming revenue and Wynn Macau saw a decline of 54.6% across its casino segment.

Source: Wynn Resorts Financial Results Report for 2022

Las Vegas Sands posted a net revenue of US$4.11 billion in revenue for the year ending in December 31, 2022. This figure represents a 2.9% decrease compared to the results for the previous financial year when the corporation reported US$4.23 billion in net revenues. The downturn was largely driven by the decline in profits from the company’s Macanese operations, which brought in US$1.27 billion less than they did in 2021.

Las Vegas Sands operates five integrated resorts in Macau, which suffered a combined revenue decrease of US$1.27 billion in 2022. Out of the five, The Venetian Macao experienced the sharpest downturn in gaming gross gaming revenue (down 53.6%), followed by The Parisian Macao (52.5%), The Plaza Macao (51%), The Londoner Macao (51%), and Sands Macao (49.5%). Sands Macao and The Plaza Macao were the least profitable as their total gaming revenues amounted to US$53 million and US$146 million, respectively. The figures below are rounded to two decimal places.

Source: Las Vegas Sands 2022 Annual Report

Similarly to rival concessionaires, Melco Resorts & Entertainment suffered a decline in net earnings and gaming revenue in 2022 as a result of government-mandated travel restrictions, distancing measures, and casino closures. The company ended the financial year with US$1.35 billion in overall operating revenues, representing a 32.9% reduction from 2021. Gaming accounted for approximately 80% of Melco’s total annual earnings in 2022.

City of Dreams was Melco’s biggest earner in 2022. The overall operating revenue generated by the resort dropped by 51.2% from US$1.147 billion in 2021 to US$560 million last year, an amount that represents roughly 41.5% of the overall earnings from the complex. City of Dreams also suffered a decline in mass gaming tables drop and rolling chip drop, which decreased by 58.3% and 70% year-on-year.

Source: Melco Resorts & Entertainment Annual Report for the Year Ended December 31, 2022

The year 2022 was challenging for MGM China as the corporation suffered decreases in total operating revenue across all segments. Overall earnings from the casino segment declined by 46% from the previous year, while non-gaming revenue from hotel occupancies, retail, food, beverages, and entertainment amounted to a modest HK$830 million for a 30.2% reduction.

The company was racking up losses throughout 2022 at a breakneck pace, so much so that it was forced to seek financial assistance from its US-based parent MGM Resorts International last November. The corporation subsequently injected $750 million into its Macau arm.

Against this unfavorable backdrop, both casinos operated by MGM China posted decreases in their gross gaming revenue. MGM Macau did better as it ended the year with HK$2.64 billion in revenue from its casino segment, an amount that corresponds to 86% of the resort’s overall operating profits. Decreases were observed across all key performance indicators, including slot machine handle, mass table games drop, and VIP table turnover.

MGM Cotai also underperformed, reporting a 50.2% decline in gross gaming revenue. On top of the government-mandated restrictions in July 2022, the property was sealed off for several days after an employee on the gaming floor tested positive for the coronavirus last November.

Source: MGM China Holdings Limited 2022 Annual Report

Number of Employees in Macau’s Gaming Industry

The recreational, gaming, and cultural sector employed 89,000 people in 2021. This figure represents an 8.25% decrease compared to pre-pandemic levels when 97,000 individuals were employed in this field. As the graphic below demonstrates, recreation and gaming are the biggest sources of employment in the administrative region, followed by the hospitality industry, wholesale and retail, and the construction sector.

Source: Statistics and Census Service

Expenditures of Macau Casinos

Data collected from official gaming sector surveys indicates that the operating expenses of Macanese casinos decreased by 70.5% over the last three years, dropping from MOP$31.93 billion in 2019 to MOP$9.42 in 2022. Employee compensations saw a reduction of 16.5% during this period, while expenses related to customer rebates, goods purchases, and commissions declined by 93.4%.

Source: Macau Statistics and Census Service/Gaming Sector Survey

Number of Tourists Visiting Macau

As readers have probably noticed by now, the gambling industry in the special administrative region is heavily reliant on tourism, with visitors from mainland China accounting for a significant portion of the gross gaming revenue. The dramatic decline in visitations is easily the biggest hurdle Macanese casinos have been facing over the last several years.

The number of tourist arrivals went down by 85% in 2020 when the city welcomed 33.51 million fewer visitors compared to the previous year. Visitations dropped further last year when only 5.7 million people arrived in Macau, down 26% from 7.71 million in 2021. Tourists from mainland China accounted for 89.6% of all visitor arrivals last year.

Source: Macau Statistics and Census Service

Most Chinese visitors (3.56 million) in 2022 came from the coastal province of Guangdong, followed by Fujian, Hunan, and Guangxi, with 0.21 million, 0.14 million, and 0.11 million visitors respectively.

Tourists started to return to the gambling mecca in 2023 after the Chinese government lifted the entry restrictions on foreign travelers in early January. Official data shows the administrative region welcomed as many as 14.41 million visitors in the first seven months of the year, which is 8.71 million more than the recorded tourist arrivals for the entire 2022. The biggest inflow of tourists occurred in the month of July when 2.76 million people visited Macau. The ongoing recovery of the local gaming industry is largely driven by this increase in visitor arrivals.

Source: Macau Statistics and Census Service