Gambling revenue in Macau rose 35% in January from a year earlier, government statistics showed Wednesday, as players from mainland China continued to fuel solid growth, though they failed to propel the territory to a record haul as some analysts had forecast earlier.

Macau, the only place in China where casino gambling is legal, saw gambling revenue rise to MOP25.04 billion (US$3.13 billion) last month, up from MOP18.57 billion a year earlier, according to data from Macau's Gaming Inspection and Coordination Bureau. The figure was bolstered by the Lunar New Year holidays but fell short of the all-time monthly high of MOP26.85 billion hit in October.

The Chinese territory remains the largest gambling center in the world many times over. Last year it raked in more than five times the gambling revenue analysts estimate the Las Vegas Strip earned.

-By Kate O'Keeffe, Dow Jones Newswires; 852-2802-7002; kathryn.okeeffe@dowjones.com