Macau GGR drops 11.3 percent in January as coronavirus measures tighten

The Gaming Inspection and Coordination Bureau (DICJ) reported over the weekend that monthly GGR in the coronavirus-hit territory came in at MOP$22.1 billion (about US$2.76 billion) in January, which was an 11.3 percent fall from the previous year’s figure.

Since the Wuhan coronavirus impact only hit toward the latter part of the month, operators are bracing for much tougher results in February.

The Macau Government Tourism Office (MGTO) also reported that average hotel room occupancy was nearly slashed in half during the seven-day Chinese New Year (CNY) holiday period (January 24-30). The roughly 260,000 foreign nationals who visited Macau during the seven-day holiday represented a year-on-year decrease of 78.3 percent.

As of Sunday evening, Macau had confirmed eight cases of Wuhan coronavirus.

The DICJ issued a directive to the territory’s 41 casinos that not only the staff, but also the patrons would now be required to wear protective face masks while gaming.

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