Seaport Research Partners predicts monthly decline in Macau GGR for April
Analysts have predicted GGR could decline by nearly 6 per cent sequentially.
Macau.- Seaport Research Partners has forecast that Macau’s gross gaming revenue (GGR) could remain flat in year-on-year terms and fall 6 per cent sequentially in April. The decline would be in line with historical trends.
Analyst Vitaly Umansky said that recent crackdowns on unauthorised currency exchange might cause some short-term decreases in demand as customers may stay away from pawnshops, while others may forego a near-term trip to Macau.
Seaport expects GGR to grow by 6.5 per cent in 2025: 2.2 per cent in the first half of the year and 11 per cent in the second half.
In March, Macau’s GGR was MOP19.66bn (US$2.46bn). That’s an increase of 0.8 per cent in year-on-year terms but a dip of 0.4 per cent sequentially. GGR was 76.1 per cent of March 2019’s level. The month-on-month decline is likely because Chinese New Year ran into February, and March had one less weekend this year.
For the first quarter of 2025, Macau’s GGR was MOP57.66bn (US$7.20bn), up 0.6 per cent from the prior-year period but 24.7 per cent lower than the first quarter of 2019 (MOP76.15bn).
42 arrested for illegal money exchange in Macau
The Judiciary Police has arrested 42 people in two separate operations against unauthorised currency exchange linked to gambling. In the first case, police arrested 33 people accused of offering currency exchange via fake transactions at eight jewellery shops near casinos.
Police said those arrested exchanged about HK$590m (US$75.9m) and made over HK$20m (US$2.6m) in illegal profits. In a second operation, police arrested nine people for allegedly exchanging money in pawn shops and private cars. They are said to have falsely employed non-resident workers to assist in the transfer of funds between Macau and mainland China. This group allegedly exchanged around HK$200m (US$25.7m) and earned at least HK$1m (US$128,600).
Both syndicates allegedly worked with underground banks. Police seized over HK$18m (US$2.3m) in cash, fake transaction receipts and electronic devices.
