u casino revenue fell 39.4% year-on-year in March, marking a tenth consecutive monthly year-on-year decline.

March’s total, despite increasing by approximately 2bn patacas from the previous month to 21.5bn patacas, is down from the 35.5bn patacas posted for March last year.

The downturn for March did not beat the record 48.6% fall that was reported for February, which saw 19.5bn patacas generated.

That was the third time in the space of six months that the record year-on-year monthly casino win decrease had been broken in the region, following 23.2% and 30.4% falls in October and December respectively.

Total revenue for March signified the seventh consecutive month that casino win has fallen by a double figure percentage.

Revenue for the first quarter of the year is down 37% from 102.2bn patacas to 64.8bn patacas.

The Macau casino market suffered its first annual revenue fall for the first time since records began last year, as the final total of 351.5bn patacas was down 2.6% from 360.7bn patacas, which was an all-time single year record.

Dr Fernando Chui Sai On, chief executive of the former Portuguese colony, announced last week that the government would be taking a greater involvement in regulating the special administrative region's gaming market.

Macau is the only region in China where casino gambling is legal.