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Macau’s casino sector recorded another month of growth in May, with gross gaming revenue (GGR) reaching MOP22.61 billion (US$2.80 billion), according to figures released by the Gaming Inspection and Coordination Bureau (DICJ).
The May result represented a 6.7% increase compared to the same month in 2025. Revenue also improved significantly from April, rising 13.7% from the MOP19.89 billion generated during the previous month.
The latest figures continue Macau’s positive trajectory in 2026, with cumulative GGR for the first five months of the year reaching approximately MOP108.38 billion. That total stands 10.9% higher than the corresponding period in 2025.
Industry observers had anticipated a favorable performance during May, citing strong visitation levels and gaming activity during the Labour Day holiday period. The month’s outcome largely matched those expectations.
Holiday Travel Supports Casino Activity
The beginning of May brought a major tourism boost to Macau during the mainland China Labour Day holiday period. Visitor traffic remained strong throughout the five-day break from May 1 to May 5, helping support casino activity across the market.
Official data showed that Macau welcomed 873,229 visitors during the holiday period. Average daily arrivals reached nearly 174,646 visitors, while separate figures indicated daily visitation levels of around 175,000 people. Authorities reported that these averages were roughly 10% higher than the levels recorded during the same holiday period in 2019.
Additional tourism activity later in the month also contributed to visitor volumes. During the three-day Buddha’s Birthday holiday between May 23 and May 25, Macau recorded approximately 403,000 visitor arrivals.
Several research firms and financial institutions pointed to healthy gaming demand during the holiday season. Market commentary released throughout May highlighted encouraging performance across casino floors, particularly within the premium-mass segment.
Analysts from various brokerages reported solid wagering activity during the Labour Day period. Research notes issued during the month referenced healthy minimum betting levels and sustained customer engagement.
Premium-Mass Segment Draws Attention
Market analysts also observed continued strength among premium-mass players.
CLSA noted a “rising propensity” for premium-mass segment gamblers “to travel to Macau during off-peak weeks”, suggesting that demand extended beyond the busiest holiday dates. According to the brokerage, this trend could contribute to “a strong tail end” of the holiday break.
According to Inside Asian Gaming, Citigroup reached a similar conclusion regarding customer activity during the opening days of the Labour Day period. The banking institution reported “solid” premium-mass bet volume in Macau and indicated that activity levels ranked behind only the Chinese New Year holiday period earlier this year.
Those observations helped reinforce expectations that May would deliver a favorable revenue result for casino operators.
The May performance pushed Macau’s year-to-date gaming revenue above MOP108 billion for the first time in 2026.
From January through May, casinos generated approximately MOP108.38 billion in GGR, representing year-on-year growth of 10.9%. The figure demonstrates continued recovery and expansion compared with the same period last year.
Despite the improvement, industry revenue has not yet returned to pre-pandemic levels. Data for the first five months of 2026 remains 13.8% lower than the MOP125.69 billion recorded during the corresponding period in 2019.
Analysts have cautioned that maintaining the current pace of annual growth may become more difficult during the remainder of the year. Comparisons against stronger results achieved later in 2025 are expected to create a more challenging environment for year-on-year gains.
Even so, May delivered the strongest result for that month since the pandemic period, providing another indication of sustained demand in Macau’s gaming market. The combination of holiday-driven visitation, strong premium-mass activity, and continued tourist arrivals helped support casino revenue growth during the month and contributed to a solid start to the year for the territory’s gaming industry.