Casino revenues in September suffered a decrease of 3.5 to 4 percent over the same month last year, according to Portuguese news agency Lusa.
In September 2007, Macau gaming revenues recorded a growth of 55 percent that was reflected by the opening of the Venetian Macao, but this year's figures show that Macau recorded a first time decline in the gaming sector since July 2005.
The gaming sector had shown a growth of 44.5 percent to 45 percent in the first nine months of 2008, due to strong rises in the first half of this year.
Between January and September, the gaming sector had received total gross revenues of 84.5 billion patacas, up by 1.5 million patacas, compared with the same period last year.
However, a closer look at the figures of the third quarter – 25.8 billion patacas, shows a clear slowdown. The total gross revenue for the first quarter were 29.8 billion patacas, while in the second quarter it reached 28.8 billion patacas.
Gaming analysts surmised the September drop was due to travel visa restrictions, which reduced the number of times a visitor from one of the mainland provinces could visit Macau.
September also meant changes to the market quota. Melco PBL usually fought with Wynn Resorts for third place, but this time suffered a small decline to fifth place with eight percent of the market. Still, the company continues to be slightly higher than MGM Macau, which closed September at sixth place with almost eight percent of the market.
Ahead of the market for the second month in a row is Las Vegas Sands with more than 28 percent followed by Sociedade de Jogos de Macau with 25.5 percent.
Wynn Resorts kept third place in the monthly rankings with 19 percent, while with a little help from Melco PBL’s fall, Galaxy hung onto fourth place with 10 percent of the market.