MACAU drew 2.23 million visitors in April, 19 percent more than a year earlier, as the opening of new casinos spurs growth. Macau, the only Chinese city where casinos are legal, had 1.14 million visitors from China mainland last month, compared with 990,100 a year earlier, according to statistics released by the city's government.

The city's 2.16 million visitors in March included 1.18 million from the mainland, the statement said. Casino companies including Las Vegas Sands and Wynn Resorts Ltd are betting the mainland's rising incomes will fuel gaming growth in the city. Macau's gambling revenue reached 18.07 billion patacas (US$2.24 billion) in the first quarter, up 44 percent from a year earlier.