Macau - The Dream City of Every Gambler

Every passionate gambler knows the famed Sin City of Nevada but compared to Macau, Las Vegas is but an underling of the actual big boss. Located on the southern coast of China, Macau almost behaves like an independent state that exclusively functions to fulfill every gambler’s dream and desires.

The history of the dream city is as rich as its revenues. Macau was the first and last European colony that was under the control of Portugal for over 400 years. The Portuguese rule has made a huge impact on the overall culture that surrounds Macau today. In 1999, Portugal relinquished the colony and China finally took over the control of Macau but the region would still remain a sovereign territory. 

Gambling Law

Although gambling is illegal under Chinese law, just like Hong Kong, Macau is not considered a part of mainland China and even has separate governing and economic systems. These include their own currency, police force, and border control. 

Macau became the biggest gambling destination thanks to some reforms and its unique location. People from nearby countries including China cannot get a similar experience anywhere else. The region is located right in the middle of East Asia, where gambling is pretty much outlawed and illegal. 

The casino scene has gone completely off the rails and today Macau is often called the gambling capital of the world. The independent region features some of the largest and most fascinating casinos in the world. You can find over 40 casinos that are open nonstop for parties within the small city.

Largest Casinos In Macau

Gambling Industry

Macau’s gambling industry is built entirely on tourism and could even be considered the most internationally visited city in the world since the region is independent and Chinese citizens are still considered foreign visitors. The city also completely mauls any other competitor in revenues and reportedly overtakes Las Vegas sevenfold in sheer profits.

This is because the focus of Macau casinos is centered around high spending customers in luxurious VIP rooms. These luxurious lounges sometimes require visitors to bet a minimum of $1.6 million per visit, which makes this region the home of the highest casino scene on earth. 

Besides gambling, Macau has some of the wildest attractions. Tasty cuisine, exotic hotels, firework ceremonies, and even the annual Grand Prix, every form of entertainment is present and accessible in Macau.

By now, everyone knows that Macau is much larger on a gambling scale than Las Vegas, but is it actually better in terms of entertainment value? 

Well, the answer lies in personal preference as each entity has different styles. 

Comparing The Standard

Las Vegas might be tiny in terms of revenue but the Sin City still hangs in there as one of the most desired destinations to visit by people other than just gamblers. The gambling scene in Vegas is mostly casual, catering to the needs of people who want to relax and have fun, whereas Macau is the dream destination for any serious player. The ratio of betting games in Macau mostly consists of table games and loosely scattered slots (70/30). 

Baccarat is by far the leading casino game and traditional western games like Texas Hold ‘Em are few and far between. Moreover, the people over in the far east go by one saying: “Go big or go home”. The gambling scene in Macau is extremely high stakes compared to Las Vegas where betting over 25$ per round would put you in the top 5%. In Macau, on the other hand, you’re swimming in the shark tank and 25 bucks won’t get you far or even seated at a table.

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Every dream only lasts for a while and so might Macau. The region might seem like the haven every gambler yearns for but that might not stay this way forever since the city has a built-in expiration date labeled on its forehead. 

To be more specific the region can freely operate only till 2049, which was part of the deal struck in 1999. Since gambling is completely illegal anywhere else in China, the largest gambling center might cease to exist.