Macau sets Lunar New Year tourism high, February casino revenue hits about US$2.56bn

MGTO data show roughly 1.55m arrivals during the mainland’s 9-day holiday, with a record daily peak; DICJ reports February GGR of MOP 20.62bn (≈US$2.56bn), up 4.5% year-on-year.

Macau recorded a new Chinese New Year visitation milestone, welcoming about 1.55 million visitor arrivals during the Chinese mainland’s nine-day Lunar New Year holiday period, according to figures released by the Macao Government Tourism Office (MGTO). The holiday also produced a record single-day peak in arrivals, underlining the continued normalization of cross-border travel flows and Macau’s pull as a short-haul leisure destination.

The surge in footfall helped support casino activity into February. The Gaming Inspection and Coordination Bureau (DICJ) reported February 2026 gross gaming revenue (GGR) of MOP 20.62 billion (about US$2.56 billion), representing a 4.5% increase year-on-year. Month-on-month, revenue eased from January’s stronger tally, reflecting typical post-holiday normalization even as operators benefited from Golden Week volumes.

Market trackers noted that the February result came in ahead of many forecasts, suggesting mass-market demand remained resilient despite a very competitive promotions environment among the concessionaires.

If visitation stays near current levels through spring, Macau’s 2026 run-rate looks increasingly anchored in stable mass demand rather than one-off VIP spikes—good for sustainability, but still sensitive to consumer sentiment and regional travel trends.