The Macau government raised MOP$17.6 billion through direct taxes on the gaming industry through the first two months of 2018, up 24.7% on the MOP$14.1 billion in gaming taxes accrued during the same period last year.
The figure represents 83.6% of all revenue brought in by the government in January and February and the second consecutive year of increase. It also means that the government has already accrued 21.4% of the MOP$82.4 billion in gaming taxes it had budgeted for at the start of the year.
The public surplus now sits at MOP$11.6 billion, slightly down on the same time last year but representing 167% of the government’s 2018 surplus budget.