Super Typhoon Ragasa Slams Macau's Casino Revenue with 33-Hour Shutdown
Macau's casino industry faced a sharp decline in September as Super Typhoon Ragasa forced a 33-hour shutdown. The storm disrupted operations The typhoon's impact was immediate. Gross Gaming Revenue (GGR) fell by MOP3.86 billion compared to August, leaving September's figures 17% below pre-pandemic levels from 2019. While severe, this disruption contrasts with past events like Typhoon Mangkhut (2018), which caused minimal long-term damage, or Typhoon Hato (2017), where infrastructure suffered but casinos recovered faster than neighbouring regions.
The industry has shown resilience before. After COVID-19 slashed revenues by 80% between 2020 and 2022, Macau's casinos rebounded strongly by 2023β2025, hitting record highs. This recovery was driven by a surge in tourism, outperforming peers in Hong Kong and the Philippines. Yet Ragasa's shutdown stands out. Unlike previous typhoons, its prolonged closure directly cut into monthly earnings. No comparable storm has struck Macau in the last ten years, making this a rare setback for an otherwise robust sector.
The 33-hour closure from Ragasa remains the key factor behind September's revenue loss. While the industry has bounced back from crises like COVID-19, this storm's timing and scale created a short-term dip. Current figures still lag behind 2019's pre-pandemic performance by 17%.
