Government tax revenue collected directly from Macau’s gaming operators fell 4.8% year-on-year to MOP$8.73 billion (US$1.08 billion) in 1Q22, despite showing significant improvement through March.
According to information published by the Financial Services Bureau, gaming taxes in the first three months of 2022 have reached 17.5% of the MOP$49.76 billion (US$6.16 billion) the government has budgeted for the full year. It also comprised 78.5% of the Macau SAR Government’s total tax revenue for the March quarter.
For the month of March, direct gaming tax of MOP$3.0 billion was 21.5% higher than the MOP$2.47 billion paid in February, reflecting a 22.3% increase in February GGR to MOP$7.76 billion (US$964 million), given that Macau gaming tax is paid by the 10th of each month for the previous month.
The April tax take is expected to fall substantially given the DICJ has already reported GGR of just MOP$3.67 billion (US$459 million) for March – the lowest figure in 18 months.
Macau’s gaming taxes include a 35% “special gaming tax” paid directly to the Macau government plus another 4% other charges, comprising a 1.6% levy which funds the Macao Foundation’s cultural, social, economic, educational, scientific, academic and philanthropic activities, and a 2.4% contribution (1.4% for SJM) to the urban construction, tourism and social security fund.
