Macao gambling revenue falls 2.6 percent

Gambling revenue in Macao, the world's biggest gaming hub, fell last year for the first time since 2001, Friday data showed.

Revenue fell 2.6 percent in 2014 to $44.1 billion - almost seven times that of Las Vegas - according to data released by Macao's Gaming Inspection and Coordination Bureau.

In December, growth dropped a record 30.4 percent year-on-year compared with analyst forecasts ranging from 29 percent to 33 percent, and constituted the seventh straight monthly decline.

Casino operator Melco Crown Entertainment, a joint venture involving Australian billionaire James Packer, plans to delist its shares in Hong Kong, the company said Friday.