Macau’s gross gaming revenue fell to MOP$18.5 billion (US$2.29 billion) in June, down 12.1% year-on-year according to information from the Gaming Inspection and Coordination Bureau (DICJ).
The figure was also down 18.1% compared to May, with industry commentators putting at least some of the decline down to the impact of the ongoing football World Cup in the USA, Canada and Mexico. The June result was Macau’s lowest since September.
However, GGR for the first six months of 2026 came in at MOP$126.9 billion (US$15.7 billion), representing a 6.8% year-on-year increase despite comparisons with last year becoming tougher since May.
Analysts had predicted a softer June for Macau’s operators because of the World Cup swallowing the betting budgets of some players. Citigroup also prophesized that the impact could be greater than usual because the 2026 World Cup features an expanded 48-team format, meaning a total of 104 games will be played compared with 64 games historically.
With the World Cup currently in its new Round of 32, there are still another 19 days of football remaining before a new champion is crowned.
Despite this, Citi said it expects a swift recovery for Macau’s operators post-World Cup, led by a strong events calendar that includes K-pop groups Babymonster, TWS and Enhypen, Taiwanese singer Zhao Chuan and the NBA China Games featuring the Houston Rockets and Dallas Mavericks.
