Macau casinos close 2012 with new revenue records.
The Lusa news agency reports that Macau's casinos closed December with a new record of gross revenue of 28,2 billion patacas (2,4 billion euros) and, for the first time, annual revenue exceeded 300 billion patacas (28,3 billion euros).
Data released by the Macau Government's Gaming Inspection and Coordination Services indicate that December's revenue, the second record this year after October's peak of 27,7 billion patacas (2,6 billion euros at the current exchange rate), was 19,6% higher than that recorded in the same month of 2011.
The annual balance of local casinos – 304 billion patacas (28,6 billion euros) – represents a growth of 13,5% compared to 2011.
However, the figures for the gaming sector in Macau are expected to slightly exceed 305 billion patacas (28,7 billion euros), given that revenue from football, basketball, lotteries, and greyhound and horse racing betting is yet to be accounted for.
Macau's administration levies a direct tax of 35% on the gross revenue of the gaming sector, which in 2012 amounted to 106 billion patacas (10 billion euros). This sum is not fully accounted for in the current year's budget, given that taxes for one month are paid in the following month, and in fiscal terms, gaming taxes are accounted for from December of one year to November of the following year.
In addition to the direct tax of 35%, the administration also charges an indirect tax of 4% for, among other things, social purposes and tourism promotion, an amount that this year has resulted in 12,2 billion patacas (1,1 billion euros).
Annually, the six operators are still required to pay an operating license and a fee for each table and each slot machine they have in their casinos, and at the end of September there were 5.497 tables and 17.029 slot machines spread across the city's 35 casinos.
Stanley Ho's company continues to lead the Macau market.
The company founded by Stanley Ho, Sociedade de Jogos de Macau, maintained its market leadership in December, in a month in which Sands China, owned by American tycoon Sheldon Adelson, regained second place, a position it has shared with Galaxy Resorts of Hong Kong.
The figures released by the Lusa news agency and provided by two local operators indicate that Sociedade de Jogos de Macau closed December with a market share slightly above 26%, followed by Sands China with around 21% and Galaxy Resorts, which in the last month of the year did not exceed slightly above 18%.
