Macau’s gaming operators recorded combined gross gaming revenues of MOP$15.57 billion (US$1.93 billion) in May, setting a post-pandemic high for the fifth time in as many months since the start of the year.
According to information from the Gaming Inspection and Coordination Bureau (DICJ), the May total was 366% higher than May 2022, when Macau’s GGR was MOP$3.34 billion (US$414 million).
It was also 5.7% higher than the April 2023 figure of MOP$14.72 (US$1.82 billion), which had been the highest monthly GGR tally since January 2020.
For the first five months of 2023 combined, Macau’s GGR is up 173% year-on-year to MOP$64.93 billion (US$8.05 billion).
The change in fortunes for Macau’s casinos comes after the government announced the scrapping of almost all COVID-19 border restrictions as of 8 January 2023, including the removal of testing requirements for visitors from mainland China, Hong Kong and Taiwan. It also disposed of mandatory hotel quarantine for foreign tourists and the need to provide any negative COVID tests either prior to or upon arrival.
May’s GGR was aided by the five-day “May Day” Golden Week holiday period at the start of the month, which saw visitor arrivals reach almost 500,000 and hotel occupancy hit 85%.
