Macau, China, 19 July – The government of Macau collected patacas 9.3 billion in direct gaming taxes in the first six months of this year, an increase of 14.7 percent to the patacas 8.1 billion registered in the same period of 2005, officials have announced.

The Directorate of Financial Services said Tuesday that direct taxes on gaming have increased steadily from patacas 10.1 billion recorded in 2003 to the patacas 17.1 billion registered last year.

Over the first six months of 2006, direct taxes on casino turnovers have represented some 75 percent of total state revenues, which reached patacas 12.4 billion, an 18.2 percent increase over the first half of the previous year.

Total state expenditure in the first six months of 2006 was patacas 5.7 billion, giving a budget surplus of patacas 6.6 billion.

Government expenditure showed a drop of 22.8 percent in the same period with only 13.9 percent of the budgeted patacas 6.01 million being spent in the first half of the year.

The Macau Special Administrative Region currently has 21 casinos and four more are due to open their doors by the close of the year. (macauhub)