Macau government benefits from gambling in first half of 2014

The Macau regional government has continued to profit handsomely from the consistently high tax income received from the Chinese island’s land gambling activity, rising 16 percent in the first half to MOP71.03 billion ($8.9 billion), according to Financial Services Bureau figures this week.

Gambling taxes have already reached some 60 percent of the government’s 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 end 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 land casino operators fell for the first time in five years in June, dropping 3.7 percent, which analysts attributed to the distraction of the World Cup football (see previous reports).

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