Macau Economic Association Sees Q3 GDP Shrinking About 2% as Gaming Revenue Softens
Macau — The Macau Economic Association (MEA) projected in its latest economic outlook, published on October 15, that Macau's gross domestic product for the third quarter of 2026 would fall about 2 per cent year-on-year to an estimated MOP102.9 billion (US$12.8 billion), with the projected contraction ranging from 0.8 per cent to 2.7 per cent, citing weaker performance in the casino sector.
Gross gaming revenue was down 1.2 per cent year-on-year in both August and September, at MOP21.9 billion (US$2.72 billion) and MOP18 billion (US$2.24 billion) respectively, while average daily gaming revenue declined from MOP706 million in August to MOP602 million in September. Visitor arrivals in August rose 6.1 per cent year-on-year, with same-day visitors up 11.7 per cent and overnight arrivals down 2.4 per cent.
The association's Economic Sentiment Index stood at 6.3 points in August and 6.1 points in September, with restaurant and retail spending steady and unemployment low. Despite the projected third-quarter contraction, the MEA estimated the economy grew 1.5 to 2.1 per cent year-on-year in the first nine months of 2026, with cumulative GDP of between MOP311.8 billion and MOP313.8 billion, following growth of 7.2 per cent in the first quarter and 0.3 per cent in the second. It identified international visitor markets, improved air connectivity and closer tourism cooperation between Macau and Hong Kong as potential sources of support.
Source: GSM · USA (original Chinese edition)
Photo: 永利澳门。照片：Ank Kumar／Wikimedia Commons（CC BY-SA 4.0）。Wynn Macau. Photo: Ank Kumar / Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 4.0).
