Macau registers record gaming revenues of us$ 13.7 billion in 2008

According to the statistics from the Special Administrative Region’s (SAR) Gaming Inspection and Coordination Bureau, gaming revenues of the SAR, the only place in China where gambling is legal, stood at us$ 10.6 billion in 2007, growing by 45.7 % over the previous year.

Among the six gaming concessionaires in Macao, SJM, a gaming company run by local tycoon Stanley Ho, was the market leader last year, while the two US gaming operators Venetian Macao, owned by Las Vegas Sands, and Wynn Resorts dominated the second and third positions.

By far, the SAR, with a population of only 550,000, has 31 casinos, 19 of which are run by the SJM, but the largest one, Venetian Macao casino resort, is operated by the Las Vegas Sands. The latest statistics also showed there are a total of 4,312 gaming tables and 12,835 slot machines in these casinos.

TDM said Macao generated gaming revenues of us$ 962 million in December 2008, dropping by 7 % year-on-year. After a long period of strong growth, the SAR’s gaming sector saw its first slowdown in September last year, dropping by 3.5 % year-on-year.

The latest figures from Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority showed the Las Vegas Strip recorded gaming revenues of us$ 5.2 billion in the first 10 months of last year.