In May, Macau's gross gaming revenue (GGR) experienced a notable increase of 6.7% compared to the same month last year, driven by a significant influx of visitors during China's Labour Day holiday, according to official statistics released on Monday.
The total revenue from Macau's casinos reached MOP22.6 billion (approximately $2.80 billion) in May, reflecting a 13.6% rise from April's MOP19.9 billion ($2.47 billion).
For the first five months of 2026, Macau's GGR amounted to MOP108.4 billion ($13.4 billion), marking a 10.9% increase year-on-year.
The gambling capital of the world saw a boost in tourism during the five-day Labour Day holiday starting May 1, attracting around 873,000 visitors, which averages nearly 174,600 arrivals daily.
This robust performance in May aligns with analysts' expectations, who had anticipated a surge in demand linked to the holiday and ongoing strength in the mass-market gaming sector.
The latest data further indicates a consistent recovery in Macau's gaming industry, which reported a GGR of MOP65.87 billion ($8.17 billion) in the first quarter, up 14.3% from the previous year.
While analysts maintain a positive outlook for the market in 2026, they caution that comparing growth rates may become more complex in the upcoming months as Macau reflects on stronger post-pandemic recovery figures.
CBRE Equity Research predicts an 8.3% increase in Macau's gaming revenue this year, following a total GGR of MOP247.4 billion ($30.68 billion) in 2025.
S&P Global Ratings estimates GGR growth for 2026 to be between 3% and 7%, driven by expectations of sustained demand from premium mass-market players, increased visitor numbers, and stable earnings growth among casino operators.
In the first four months of 2026, Macau's gaming tax revenue reached MOP34.87 billion ($4.32 billion), which is a 16.8% increase compared to the same period last year. The government has set a target of MOP92.7 billion ($11.56 billion) for total gaming tax revenue for the year.
According to the Statistics and Census Service (DSEC) of Macau, the city recorded approximately 3.4 million visitor arrivals in April, reflecting an 11.3% increase from the same month in the previous year, with Mainland China remaining the largest source of visitors.