Some analysts are now predicting that gaming revenue in Macau could continue to grow month on month. The government’s gaming Inspection and Coordination Bureau (DICJ) has reported a 44.7% increase in gaming revenue last month, despite February having fewer days than January and one weekend less. Figures for February usually are below those for January. Revenues for the first two months of 2011 are already 40.4% higher than in 2010.

Around 170,000 mainland Chinese visited Macau for the Chinese New Year celebrations but casino revenue was slightly below some analysts’ forecasts. However, 8 February broke the previous record for a single day’s gaming at Macau casinos. Overall, February did not live up to some expectations that it would beat last October’s gaming revenue record and the Chinese New Year holidays, 1-6 February, saw lower than expected gross gaming revenue.

According to a recent study, the Chinese see gambling as an investment and investment as a gamble. Perhaps this is not surprising in a country where bank interest rates fall below the cost of inflation. Losing money at the casinos must be more fun than watching funds diminish month by month – and casino gambling could pay better dividends than the stock markets! The gamble is certainly paying off for the US companies that invested in the Macau gaming market – gaming revenue in Macau outpaced Las Vegas some time ago and is still racing ahead. (E-03.01.11)

© Copyright 2011 CasinoCompendium



>>> return to archives
>>> return to frontpage