¡¡   MACAO, Dec. 29 (Xinhuanet) -- Macao's income from direct gaming tax reached 21.2 billion patacas (2.65 billion US dollars) in the first 11 months , a year-on-year rise of 15.8 percent, According to official statistics issued here Thursday.

    The figures from the Macao Finance Bureau showed that the gaming taxes generated 71.7 percent of the government's total revenue during the period.

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

    The government collected 14.74 billion patacas (1.84 billion US dollars) in the direct gaming taxes in 2004.

    Macao, with a population of nearly 480,000, is the only region in China where casino gaming is legal. Enditem