The Gaming Inspection and Coordination Bureau (DICJ) has announced that Macau's gross gaming revenue (GGR) has risen 29% month-on-month.

The agency reported the total for July was MOP8.44bn ($1.05bn), compared to MOP6.53bn the previous month. It’s also a 528% year-on-year increase.

July is the second-best month after May with MOP10.4bn, while June was the weakest month this year. The fluctuating figures coincide with the travel restrictions to and from Guangdong province, which provides a great number of players for Macau’s market.

The region was particularly impacted by the pandemic during the first three quarters of last year, and in 2021, the total GGR grew 64% year-on-year to MOP57.4bn. Analysts expect Macau’s GGR to improve in the second half of the year as pandemic restrictions in Macau and neighbouring regions should ease.

However, lately, Macau has faced additional challenges when it comes to travel outside the region. Due to an outbreak in Nanjing, authorities have stated that all air travellers visiting Macau starting from 31 July will need to have a negative nucleic acid test taken within 48 hours of their departure.

There are also quarantine measures for visitors from several Chinese provinces, Hong Kong and Taiwan.

But experts believe it’s unlikely that Macau’s casinos will be forced to close their doors. In February of last year, the casinos were forced to close for 15 days to help stop local transmissions. This year, the city will likely rely on testing and vaccinations, as well as stricter border control and quarantine measures.