Macau Gaming Revenue Continues Drop While Las Vegas Rises

Gaming revenue in Macau was down for the month of September while revenue on the Las Vegas Strip recorded a slight uptick. It turns out that both of these numbers are being influenced by the same source…Mainland China.
On the island of Macau, the revenue slump that just won’t end has now reached its 17 month and shows no signs of letting up. According to a report on CalvinAyre.com, Macau gaming revenues were down a whopping 28.5% over the previous year for the reported month.
Sadly, that number is what counts as good news for the formerly high flying Chinese Las Vegas. While last month’s revenue was down 28.5%,  revenue for the previous month was down more like 33%. (Ouch!)
Over on the Las Vegas Strip, things looked a little brighter as casinos posted a 1.5% gain in September. That tiny revenue hop was influenced by non-gambling events on the stirp like UFC fights, and was good enough to end a three month slide that also has its roots in Mainland China.
Macau officials are struggling to come up with new attractions to draw visitors to see the sights in the former Portuguese colony, but Mainland Chinese tourists don’t seem all that interested in colonial architecture.M
Unfortunately, Strip revenues are down 1.5% for the year so far, when compared to last year’s numbers.
Baccarat rooms across the fabled Strip have been relatively quiet since the Chinese began cracking down on official corruption. As part of that effort, they’ve been closely monitoring which of their people are spending quality time in Sin City and Macau.