New data released by the Financial Services Bureau last Friday showed that Macau recorded a surplus of 11.4 billion patacas (1.2 billion euros) in the first half of the year.
This figure reflects a 2.5% decline compared to the end of May, when Macau had a surplus of 11.7 billion patacas (1.27 billion euros).
Nevertheless, the city’s surplus from January to June was 40.3% higher than in the same period last year and already exceeds the government’s forecast for the entire year of 2025, which is set at 6.83 billion patacas (751.5 million euros).
Macau concluded 2024 with a surplus of 15.8 billion patacas (1.87 billion euros), more than double the amount recorded the previous year.
Public spending in Macau dropped 8.2% in the first half of the year compared to the same period in 2024, amounting to 41.4 billion patacas (4.38 billion euros).
The primary reason for the decrease was a 17.7% reduction in spending on social support and subsidies, which fell to 20.7 billion patacas (2.19 billion euros).
However, Macau’s parliament approved a government proposal on Wednesday to increase the budgeted expenses by 2.86 billion patacas (310 million euros) to strengthen social support.
The revision includes the introduction of a subsidy, totaling 54,000 patacas (almost six thousand euros), for children up to the age of three, to address the world’s lowest birth rate.
Macau’s current revenue also fell by 0.95% in the first half of the year, totaling 52.3 billion patacas (5.54 billion euros).
The main reason for this decrease was a 62.3% drop in “property income,” which includes revenue from land concessions, amounting to 520 million patacas (55 million euros).
Conversely, tax revenues from gaming—which account for 86.4% of the total—increased by 1%, reaching 45.3 billion patacas (4.79 billion euros).
The city’s six gaming operators pay a direct tax of 35% on gaming revenue, with 2.4% allocated to the Macau Social Security Fund and urban and tourism development, and 1.6% given to the Macau Foundation for cultural, educational, scientific, academic, and philanthropic purposes.
Total casino revenues in Macau reached 118.8 billion patacas (12.5 billion euros) in the first half of the year, a 4.4% increase compared to the same period in 2024.
On April 15, the regional government leader, Sam Hou Fai, admitted concerns about a budget deficit in 2025 due to a slowdown in gaming revenues.
