Macao's income from direct gaming tax reached 8.15 billion patacas (US$1.01 billion) in the first half of the year, an year-on-year increase of 24.9 percent.

Statistics released Tuesday by the Finance Service Bureau showed that the direct gaming tax payments made up 77 percent of the government's total income between January and June.

Macao's 17 casinos pay 35 percent of their gross revenues as direct tax to the government, according to the official figures.

Macao, with a population of nearly 470,000, is the only region in China, where casinos are legal. Local observers expect the number of casinos to exceed 20 within the next two years.  

(Xinhua News Agency July 19, 2005)