(Yicai Global) Feb. 2 -- Gambling revenue in China's casino haven Macao soared 36.4 percent on the year last month, marking the biggest leap since February 2014.

Receipts tallied MOP26.3 billion (USD3.3 billion), according to data published by the special administrative region's Gaming Inspection and Coordination Bureau yesterday.

The city's gaming sector began to rebound last year after three years in the rough. Data released last month showed that Macao's gambling income grew 19 percent to almost MOP266 billion in 2017, the first full-year rise since 2014. The figure dwarfed its US counterpart Las Vegas, which pulled in just USD6.5 billion.

Macao is the only place in China where casino gambling is permitted. President Xi Jinping's crackdown on corruption hit the region hard several years ago, as affluent officials sought to keep their lavish lifestyles under wraps and avoid the betting hub.