Revenue from gaming in Macau is 20.9% lower than January last year. Compared to december 2021, January 2023 saw 20.3% fewer conversions by the 41 casinos Macau is rich.
The disappointing results also have to do with the tightened customs restrictions due to the COVID-19 outbreak in the city of Zuhai, which is north of Macau. In addition, stricter travel restrictions have been introduced by the Chinese government. These stricter rules had been introduced because of the Olympic Games. The Chinese government wanted to prevent too many tourists from coming to the games, which would increase the risk of corona outbreaks.
The outlook for February is also not exactly rosy for the gambling capital of Asia. There is a 5 e Corona wave broke out in neighboring Hong Kong, where many tourists normally come from. This results in a low point in booked hotel nights in February.
This is yet another setback for Macau. Macau has previously been tackled by the Chinese government by tackling VIP players on suspicion of money laundering. Gambling is prohibited in mainland China. Hence, the casinos from Macau organized trips for Stone-rich Chinese from the mainland. By plane they were brought from the mainland to Macau where they could gamble to their heart's content. The government accuses the casinos that billions have crossed the border to foreign countries via Macau.
