Macau has launched its Lunar New Year celebrations with expectations of a surge in tourism that could see as many as 1.5 million visitors enter the city over the nine-day holiday period, underscoring its continued role as the world’s most lucrative gambling hub.

Festivities officially began Tuesday with a traditional Golden Dragon Parade at the Ruins of St. Paul, a symbolic site in the city’s historic center. Unofficially, however, the holiday rush began over the weekend. Local media reported that an estimated 279,400 visitors arrived in Macau ahead of the holiday’s formal start, including more than 132,000 on Saturday alone, the majority traveling from mainland China.

The holiday, which runs through 23 February, is typically one of the busiest travel periods of the year for mainland Chinese tourists. Macau, a Special Administrative Region of China, remains the only jurisdiction in the country where casino gambling is legal. That unique status has helped cement its position as the most profitable gaming market globally.

In 2025, Macau’s casinos generated nearly US$31 billion in gross gaming revenue (GGR), according to official figures. Analysts expect the holiday influx to provide further support to the sector. Citigroup has projected February GGR of MOP20.5 billion, a 4% increase compared with February 2025.

Tourism officials estimate that total arrivals during the New Year period will surpass last year’s 1.31 million visitors, potentially reaching 1.5 million. The increase would signal steady recovery momentum for Macau’s tourism-dependent economy, which has been working to diversify beyond gaming while still relying heavily on casino revenues.

Holiday Greetings and Official Warnings

In a Lunar New Year message, Macau Chief Executive Sam Hou Fai extended wishes of “prosperity and stability” to the city and “peace and happiness” to its residents, reflecting an official emphasis on economic resilience and social cohesion.

At the same time, authorities in Beijing reinforced longstanding restrictions on overseas gambling. The Embassy of the People’s Republic of China in Singapore issued what it described as a “solemn” reminder urging Chinese citizens not to gamble outside Macau. The advisory referenced the recent death of a Chinese national at Marina Bay Sands, one of Singapore’s two casino resorts. According to the statement, the individual gambled before “jumped from height and fell to their death.” Officials added that several gambling-related deaths involving Chinese nationals have occurred in Singapore in recent years.

“Overseas gambling violates national laws,” the embassy warned, adding that diplomatic missions cannot provide consular protection for citizens engaged in illegal activities. The statement urged heightened legal awareness during the holiday period and advised citizens to “stay away from gambling” abroad.

Overseas gambling violates national laws, and embassies cannot provide consular protection for illegal activities.

Future

Separately, China’s Ministry of Public Security has introduced a reporting platform that allows citizens to report suspected illegal gambling. According to China Observers, the initiative resembles forms of “community policing,” encouraging public reporting of suspected violations.

The juxtaposition of record visitor projections in Macau and reinforced warnings against overseas gambling highlights the balancing act facing Chinese authorities: channeling gambling activity into the tightly regulated enclave while discouraging capital outflows and legal violations abroad.

As the Year of the Horse begins, Macau’s performance over the coming days will serve as a barometer not only for the city’s tourism sector but also for broader trends in mainland consumer confidence and regulatory policy toward gaming.