By Kate O'Keeffe

HONG KONG--Macau's January gambling revenue rose 7.3% from the same month a year earlier, falling short of a pack of analyst forecasts tipping double-digit growth in the Chinese territory.

Gambling revenue rose to 26.86 billion patacas ($3.36 billion) last month, according to data from Macau's Gaming Inspection and Coordination Bureau released Friday. The figure follows an all-time high set in December 2012 during which revenue ballooned to MOP28.25 billion.

Analysts had said they anticipated a lull in play ahead of the key Lunar New Year holiday, which falls in February this year but fell in January last year. Even so they had forecast growth as high as 12% for January.

Macau, the only place in China where casino gambling is legal, is the world's largest gambling center. It earns about six times the gambling revenue of the Las Vegas Strip. Last year, Macau's gambling revenue rose 14% from 2011.

Write to Kate O'Keeffe at kate.okeeffe@wsj.com

Order free Annual Report for Galaxy Entertainment Group Ltd.

Visit http://djnweurope.ar.wilink.com/?ticker=HK0027032686 or call +44 (0)208 391 6028

Order free Annual Report for SJM Holdings Ltd.

Visit http://djnweurope.ar.wilink.com/?ticker=HK0880043028 or call +44 (0)208 391 6028

Order free Annual Report for Melco Crown Entertainment Ltd.

Visit http://djnweurope.ar.wilink.com/?ticker=KYG5974K1094 or call +44 (0)208 391 6028

Order free Annual Report for Sands China Ltd.

Visit http://djnweurope.ar.wilink.com/?ticker=KYG7800X1079 or call +44 (0)208 391 6028

Order free Annual Report for Wynn Macau Ltd.

Visit http://djnweurope.ar.wilink.com/?ticker=KYG981491007 or call +44 (0)208 391 6028

Order free Annual Report for Galaxy Entertainment Group Ltd.

Visit http://djnweurope.ar.wilink.com/?ticker=US36318L1044 or call +44 (0)208 391 6028

Order free Annual Report for Las Vegas Sands Corp.

Visit http://djnweurope.ar.wilink.com/?ticker=US5178341070 or call +44 (0)208 391 6028

Order free Annual Report for MGM Resorts International

Visit http://djnweurope.ar.wilink.com/?ticker=US5529531015 or call +44 (0)208 391 6028

Order free Annual Report for Melco Crown Entertainment Ltd.

Visit http://djnweurope.ar.wilink.com/?ticker=US5854641009 or call +44 (0)208 391 6028

Order free Annual Report for Sands China Ltd.

Visit http://djnweurope.ar.wilink.com/?ticker=US80007R1059 or call +44 (0)208 391 6028

Order free Annual Report for Wynn Resorts Ltd.

Visit http://djnweurope.ar.wilink.com/?ticker=US9831341071 or call +44 (0)208 391 6028

Order free Annual Report for Wynn Macau Ltd.

Visit http://djnweurope.ar.wilink.com/?ticker=US98313R1068 or call +44 (0)208 391 6028

Subscribe to WSJ: http://online.wsj.com?mod=djnwires