Macau gambling tax revenue up 16 percent in first half

Direct revenue pulled in by the Macau government from the gambling industry rose 16 percent in the first half to MOP71.03 billion ($8.9 billion), according to Financial Services Bureau figures.
That represents about 60 percent of its target for direct taxes from the industry this year of MOP117.84 billion. Direct taxes from other sources were up 28 percent to MOP1.44 billion.
For the six months to the end of June, the government’s total revenue was $83.44 billion and its total surplus for the period was MOP60.46 billion.
Growth in gambling revenue reported by Macau’s operators fell for the first time in five years in June, dropping 3.7 percent, with most analysts predicting July will also be a soft month.
The distraction from the FIFA World Cup has been cited as a factor for the slowdown, however VIP volumes have also fallen significantly.