Macau Gaming Revenue Reaches US$7.2 Billion in First Seven Months of 2026

Macau generated approximately 58.34 billion patacas (US$7.22 billion) in gaming revenue between January and July 2026, marking a 9.3% increase compared with the same period last year.

According to figures from the city’s Department of Financial Services, gaming taxes continue to represent one of the Macau government’s most important sources of current revenue. By July 31, the government had recorded 67.85 billion patacas in current revenue, with gaming-related taxes accounting for approximately 86% of the total.

Gaming tax revenue declines in July

Although Macau’s gaming-related revenue increased on a year-to-date basis, tax collections moved lower in July compared with the previous month.

The government collected 7.15 billion patacas in gaming taxes during July, representing a 17.5% decrease from June.

Casino gross gaming revenue, however, moved in the opposite direction. In June, casino GGR declined 18.1% month-on-month to 18.52 billion patacas. The market then recovered in July, when GGR increased 9.4% to 20.26 billion patacas.

The monthly tax and GGR figures should not be compared directly for the same period because there is generally a delay between casino operators recording their gross gaming revenue and the government receiving the corresponding tax payments.

As a result, changes in GGR may be reflected in government tax collections at a later date, meaning that the two indicators can move differently from one month to the next.

Macau applies a 40% effective gaming tax rate

Macau’s current gaming concession framework runs for 10 years and took effect on January 1, 2023.

Under the current system, the effective tax rate applied to casino gross gaming revenue is 40% of GGR.

Gaming tax revenue reflects payments associated with casino operations. However, the amounts recognized by the government during a particular period do not necessarily correspond directly to the GGR reported by casino operators over the same timeframe.

The timing difference between revenue being generated and the related tax being paid is therefore an important factor when assessing monthly fluctuations in Macau’s gaming tax collections.

Recent figures illustrate two different trends. On a cumulative basis, Macau has continued to record growth in gaming-related revenue compared with the previous year. At the same time, July registered a decline in government gaming tax collections compared with June.

Macau reaches 63.1% of its 2026 gaming tax target

For 2026, the Macau government expects to collect approximately 92.53 billion patacas in gaming taxes.

By the end of July, gaming-related revenue had reached 58.34 billion patacas, equivalent to 63.1% of the government’s full-year target.

The result means that a significant portion of the annual forecast remains to be collected during the final five months of 2026. The government is expected to continue monitoring gaming tax receipts as the year progresses.

Gaming remains the dominant source of public revenue

Data from the Financial Services Bureau highlight the significant role that gaming taxes play in Macau’s public finances.

Through July, gaming-related taxes represented approximately 86% of the government’s current revenue, underlining the continued importance of casino activity to the city’s fiscal position.

Consequently, changes in casino performance can have a substantial impact on government revenue from one month to another. The timing of tax payments also influences when those revenues appear in the government’s accounts.

By the end of July, Macau had collected more gaming tax revenue than during the corresponding period of 2025, despite the month-on-month decline recorded in July.

The monthly figures provide an indication of how gaming-related tax collections are developing over time, while the cumulative figures offer a clearer picture of Macau’s progress toward the 2026 gaming tax revenue target. 

By fLEXI tEAM