Macau gaming revenues increase 39 percent in September

Macau gaming revenues grew 39 percent in September, the Chinese region's casino authorities reported Tuesday.

The 34 casinos in Macau collected 21.2 billion patacas ($2.65 billion) from gamblers. Analysts said the figure was a record for the month.

The increase over September 2010 was down from the monthly increases of 52 percent (June), 48 percent (July), and 57 percent (August), which were reported by Macau's Gaming Inspection and Coordination Bureau.

Stifel Nicolaus Capital Markets gaming analyst Steven Wieczynski told investors that September's figures reflected "the lapping of a more difficult comparison and minor disruptions stemming from a typhoon that hit the region in the final week of the month."

He said the September results should ease investor concerns about a slowdown in the Macau market. Reports of a possible slowdown in the Chinese economy fueled recent declines in stock prices of Macau casino operators, including Las Vegas Sands Corp. and Wynn Resorts Ltd.

Macau casinos sent a one-month revenue record in August.