Macau gaming revenues top $2.6 billion in April

Another month, another gaming revenue record in Macau.

Casinos in the Chinese gaming enclave collected $2.6 billion in April from gamblers, figures released Tuesday by Macau's Gaming Inspection and Coordination Bureau show.

The monthly total was a 44.6 increase compared with April 2010 and up 2.1 percent over the previous month.

The gaming revenue total in April was the third straight monthly record for Macau casinos, which include properties operated by Las Vegas Sands Corp., Wynn Resorts Ltd. and MGM Resorts International.

Macau's news agency reported the casinos operated by Stanley Ho's company controlled 30 percent of the gaming revenues while Las Vegas Sands had a 17 percent market share, followed by 16.5 percent for Wynn.

"We view the results as most bullish for Wynn," Susquehanna Financial Group gaming analyst Rachael Rothman said.

Observers were surprised by the figure because April was absent any major holidays.

In a report to investors, Union Gaming Group Principal Grant Govertsen said strong mass-market visitation trends, combined with an increase in high-end customer play, helped spur the revenue increase.