The local gaming industry closed the first half (1H) of this year with results that surpassed those of 2024 by 4.4%, according to official data from the Gaming Inspection and Coordination Bureau (DICJ). Local casinos generated approximately MOP118.77 billion in gross gaming revenue (GGR) in the first six months of this year, an increase of 4.4% from the MOP113.75 billion recorded during the same period in 2024.

When compared year-on-year, June alone performed significantly better than last year, generating around MOP21.06 billion – 19% more than the MOP17.69 billion recorded in the previous year.

Currently, the average GGR stands at MOP19.795 billion, which is nearing the MOP20 billion mark that the government had initially forecast for this year and surpasses the average of the recently revised-down forecast of MOP19 billion/month (MOP228 billion/year).

June is the second-best month of the year and the second consecutive month in which GGR has exceeded MOP21 billion.

The best month so far was May, when local casinos generated revenues of MOP21.19 billion. This means that GGR held steady, with June’s result just 0.6% lower than May’s.

Considering that June had one fewer calendar day than May, June’s daily average (MOP702.13 million) was actually higher than May’s (MOP683.65 million).

On June 3, the government announced it would lower the annual GGR forecast from the original MOP240 billion to MOP228 billion, citing weaker-than-expected performance in the early months of the year.

The GGR figure serves as the primary fiscal revenue base for the government’s annual budget. The government also lowered its fiscal revenue estimate from MOP121.1 billion to MOP116.6 billion.

The results send positive signals about the gaming industry’s real performance, especially considering that May’s “exceptional” result was partially attributed to the Labor Day Golden Week.

Last week, the investment bank Citigroup predicted good results for June GGR, noting that a series of concerts by Hong Kong pop icon Jacky Cheung partly drove the gains.

At the time, the investment bank highlighted that Cheung’s residency at the Galaxy Arena –  with nine performances – sparked a significant increase in foot traffic at Galaxy Macau, positively impacting the premium mass gaming segment.

The bank also noted that the positive effects would not be restricted to Galaxy properties but would also extend to other properties in Cotai.