Published on: November 1, 2025, 09:25h.

Updated on: November 1, 2025, 09:25h.

• October 2025 marked Macau’s most successful gaming month following the COVID-19 pandemic.
• Analysts note that China’s economic strength was evident in the third quarter, driving increased domestic spending.

Macau’s casino sector witnessed a significant upswing in October, with the six licensed operators achieving their highest revenue since the onset of the pandemic.

According to reports from the city’s Gaming and Inspection Coordination Bureau, gross gaming revenue (GGR) for October hit MOP24.086 billion (approximately US$3.01 billion). This figure represents the highest monthly gaming revenue since the pre-pandemic peak in October 2019.

October 2025 surpassed August, which was previously the peak month since the pandemic, where revenue reached $2.76 billion, marking nine consecutive months of annual revenue growth for Macau’s casinos.

This month’s performance showed a 15.9% increase compared to last year, exceeding the forecasted 11.7% growth rate. The total of $3.01 billion accounted for 91.2% of the GGR from October 2019, which was $3.3 billion.

Golden Week Boosts Economic Prosperity

The month of October benefits annually from Golden Week, a holiday period from October 1-8 that commemorates the establishment of the People’s Republic of China in 1949. This extended break provides paid leave for many employees, encouraging travel from the mainland and to the special administrative regions of Macau and Hong Kong.

Visitor numbers and gaming income could have been even higher if it weren’t for a typhoon disruption in late September, which forced Macau’s casinos to close for 33 hours for safety measures.

While Typhoon Ragasa had minimal direct impact on Macau, it caused significant damage in the adjacent province of Guangdong, including Yangjiang, where extensive destruction likely disrupted many holiday travel plans.

October’s results further affirm the ongoing recovery of Macau’s casino industry, indicating a robust conclusion to what analysts expect to be a major economic rebound following the pandemic.

For the year to date, GGR has surged by 8% compared to 2024, equating to an increase of over $1.91 billion.

China’s Economic Resilience

There have been concerns about the economic stability of the world’s second-largest economy, with recurring worries regarding declining exports, tariffs imposed by the US, and a drop in domestic consumption.

As the year draws to a close, experts assert that China has largely navigated these economic challenges effectively.

With third-quarter GDP growth unexpectedly rising to 4.8% year-over-year, China remains on track to achieve its 5% annual growth target. Continued robust export activity has bolstered industrial production despite global trade uncertainties,” stated Grant Feng, Senior Economist at Vanguard, in an October economic outlook.

Feng mentioned that rising global trade barriers pose a significant short-term risk for China’s economy. However, President Donald Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping recently marked their meeting as fruitful, reportedly agreeing on several key issues, including resuming US soybean exports to China and establishing an agreement for rare earth minerals access.

Trump also consented to relax tariffs on fentanyl-related imports from China, aiming to alleviate tensions between the two nations. Xi is believed to have committed to collaborating with Trump on addressing the fentanyl crisis, as China is the leading global supplier of precursor chemicals for fentanyl production. Previous proposals from Trump had suggested tariffs as high as 100% on imports from China.