Macau gaming tax revenue collection reaches US$2.46bn in H1

Macau’s government collected MOP19.64bn (US$2.46bn) in tax revenue from the gaming industry during the first six months of the year.

Macau.- Taxes on the gaming industry generated MOP19.64bn (US$2.46bn) in revenue for Macau during the first six months of the year, 39.3 per cent of the figure the government had estimated for the full year.

According to its budget plan, Macau’s government hopes to collect MOP50.01bn in taxes for the year 2021. However, gaming tax revenue for the first half was down 9.8 per cent when compared to the same period last year.

In June, gaming tax revenue was up 23.4 per cent when compared to May, from MOP3.25bn (US$406.5m) to MOP4bn and up 431 per cent year-on-year.

Macau’s Gross Gaming Revenue (GGR) fell in June after months of improvement, registering a decline of 37 per cent to MOP$6.54bn ($817.3m), down from MOP10.45bn (US$1.31bn) in May.

The result was in line with expectations as Bernstein had predicted GGR for June would be down 30 per cent month-on-month. 

Macau ceases restrictions for visitors from Guangdong

A month and a half after imposing a 14-day quarantine on visitors from districts in Guangdong province, Macau has relaxed the restrictions amid a fall in Covid-19 cases.

Now, there is only one city in mainland China that remains on Macau’s quarantine list: Ruili, in southwest China’s Yunnan province bordering Myanmar.

Under Covid-19 countermeasures at casinos and other tourism venues, visitors must wear masks and have their temperature checked. They also have to present the Macao Health Code, the government document that classifies health status by colour: red, yellow, and green.

Holders whose Macao Health Code is red or yellow will be denied admission to casinos and other venues.