Macau gaming revenue falls 10% in October despite Golden Week visitor surge

Macau's casino gaming revenue experienced a significant decline in October, falling 10% year-over-year to reach $2.68 billion, according to data released by the Macau Gaming Inspection and Coordination Bureau. The decrease was attributed to reduced spending by wealthy gamblers, despite a surge in tourist arrivals during China's Golden Week holiday.

The decline further highlighted the ongoing challenges faced by Macau's high-end gambling segment, which has been grappling with the economic slowdown in China and stricter regulations on wealthy residents' overseas spending. Notably, the Golden Week holiday, typically a peak period for Macau's casinos, drew approximately 1.14 million visitors, marking a 15.5% increase compared to the previous year.

However, the influx of visitors did not translate into higher gambling expenditure, as reported by analysts at Jefferies. The figures underscore the fact that increased tourism demand has not been enough to compensate for the reduced spending of higher-value casino customers. Macau also saw a 16% year-over-year increase in visitor arrivals in September, indicating that tourism growth remained relatively robust.

The upcoming release of complete visitor arrival figures for October is expected later in November. The ongoing cooling of the Chinese stock market has further exacerbated the pressure on casino spending, reversing some of the wealth effects that bolstered gambling demand last year. Major operators such as Sands China, Galaxy Entertainment, Wynn Macau, MGM China, and Melco International have been heavily impacted by the prolonged slowdown, relying heavily on visitors from mainland China.