The Macao Special Administrative Region (SAR) government expects to rake in 6.8 billion patacas (US$850 million) in taxes from casinos in 2003, according to Francis Tam Pak Yuen, secretary for economy and finance.
This will be equal to nearly half of the government's fiscal budget for the year, the official was quoted by Tuesday's Macao Daily News as saying.
Tam said gaming tax income is estimated at seven billion patacas (US$875 million) for 2002, since the figure has exceeded six billion patacas (US$750 million) so far this year.
Casino tycoon Stanley Ho, who now still runs all the 11 casinos in Macao, also predicted earlier that his casinos would pay gaming taxes totaling 6.8 to 7 billion patacas (US$850 to 875 million) in the coming year.
Casinos, a major engine for Macao's economy, have recorded brisk business so far this year, with many of the punters coming from Taiwan and Hong Kong.
In an ambitious move to encourage market competition, the SAR government has issued licenses of casino operation to three companies, including Stanley Ho's Macao Gaming Company. Ho's two rivals, however, have not yet started business.
A big difference was that gaming taxes from casinos rose from 31.8 to 35 percent of their aggregate income after the liberalization of gambling industry was officially kicked off on March 31.
(Xinhua News Agency November 27, 2002)
