Macao’s July casino revenue dips 8.4 percent year-on-year to 20.26 billion patacas

Macao’s gambling industry earned a gross gaming revenue (GGR) of 20.26 billion patacas (US$2.51 billion) in July, down 8.4 percent when compared to the 22.12 billion patacas (US$2.75 billion) generated a year earlier. 

By contrast, July’s GGR grew by 9.39 percent over the 18.52 billion patacas (US$2.3 billion) recorded in June, according to data from the Gaming Inspection and Coordination Bureau. 

The year-on-year decline in the SAR’s July GGR comes after local casinos suffered weaker demand from punters due to the 2026 FIFA World Cup, which took place between 11 June and 19 July. 

Analysts had already forecasted a short-term gambling revenue slowdown during the World Cup, with banking firm, Citigroup, noting in early June that large-scale global football competitions have traditionally diverted the attention of punters away from local casinos. 

One example that Citigroup pointed to was the UEFA Euro 2024 between 14 June and 14 July, which resulted in Macao’s daily GGR plummeting to 514 million patacas (US$63.9 million), a drop of 17 percent from the overall daily average of 620 million patacas (US$77.08 million) in 2024. 

“If history repeats itself, this year’s major soccer tournament could have a more severe impact due to its new format and the unprecedented 104 total matches,” Citigroup analyst, George Choi, said in comments cited by gaming specialist publication, GGR Asia.

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The gaming revenue downturn stemming from the World Cup is reflected in Macao’s gaming data from the second quarter, which experienced a quarter-on-quarter decline of 7.31 percent to 61.2 billion patacas (US$7.6 billion).

Overall, local casinos recorded a cumulative gross revenue of 147.16 billion patacas (US$18.27 billion) in the first seven months of 2026, up 4.4 percent year-on-year. 

What’s next for gaming revenue in Macao?

Looking ahead, analysts expect Macao’s casino industry to recover during the post-World Cup period, with Citigroup noting that a return to regular foot traffic and the hosting of entertainment events will help to support a GGR bounce back. 

Meanwhile, the Macao government is projecting a cumulative GGR of 236 billion patacas (US$29.3 billion) in 2026, a rise of 3.5 percent when compared to the 228 billion patacas (US$28.34 billion) listed in the official revised 2025 GGR forecast. Some experts, however, believe the growth could reach between 3 to 7 percent. 

While Macao’s GGR is forecast to grow in 2026, it remains below the 292.45 billion patacas (US$36.35 billion) earned during pre-pandemic 2019.