The final numbers are what analysts initially predicted but May 2014 proved to be another successful month for Macau’s casinos.
Official figures released by the Gaming Inspection and Coordination Bureau showed that the world’s gambling capital did MOP32.35 billion ($4.05 billion) in revenue for the month of May; 9.3 percent better than the MOP29.6 billion ($3.7 billion) it brought in during the same period last year.
Analysts initially estimated a 13–15 percent growth for May, buoyed by the Mini Golden Week holidays from May 1 to May 3. Signs pointed towards reaching the estimates when visitor numbers in Macau spiked by as much as 20 percent during the three-day holiday. But momentum slowed down as the month went on. Fear of Beijing’s impending crackdown on UnionPay mobile-swipe card deviceshas cast a lot of concern among mass-market gamblers.
But even with a few complications, casinos posted healthy revenue for the month; slightly better than the MOP31.3 billion earned in April and the fourth straight month of over MOP30 billion in revenues.
For the year, Macau casinos have earned MOP165.9 billion ($20.8 billion), 15.8 percent better over the same period last year. With five months of 2014 already in the books, it’s fair to estimate that the Macau could reap in close to MOP400 billion ($50.1 billion USD).
