The gross receipts of Macao's 18 casinos dropped 3.1 percent year-on-year during the Chinese lunar New Year holiday, local media reported Tuesday.

Macao Post Daily reported that the gross receipts amounted to 862.3 million patacas (US$107.8 million) during the holiday season ending Feb. 4, against 890.2 million patacas (US$111.3 million) during the same period of 2005.

The report said the gaming gross receipts in January totaled 3.42 billion patacas (US$428 million), a year-on-year decrease of 5 percent.

Macao, with a population of 480,000, currently runs 18 casinos which dedicate over 70 percent of the government's annual revenue.

(Xinhua News Agency February 7, 2006)