Macau casino earnings jump with a notable surge of 82.5%

January 2023 witnessed a dramatic 82.5% jump in casino revenues in Macau, amounting to a staggering 1.4 billion dollars. Although this boost is partially linked to the influx of visitors during the Chinese Lunar New Year, it remains slightly behind the figures from 2019, the last year before the pandemic struck. Even though this year's celebration was highly anticipated, the earnings are still just below half of the January 2019 numbers.

Despite not hitting pre-pandemic highs, investors are buoyed by recent numbers. Stocks for major casinos like Venetian, Wynn, and Galaxy noticed a rise of 3-5%. Such positives were eagerly awaited by shareholders weary of the last few tough years.

As China's sole province where gambling is permitted, Macau offers a lucrative opportunity for major US casinos. However, expensive license backing could lead some to reconsider, especially as renewal approaches. Whether some casinos will opt-out remains to be seen.