If I told you to think of the symbolic city of gambling you would probably all think of Las Vegas. As absurd as it may seem, however, in recent years a city on the other side of the Pacific Ocean has been gaining more and more ground: Macao, in China. Located on the Pearl River Delta, which divides it from Hong Kong, this urban center has seen incredibly rapid development in recent decades, so much so that it far surpasses Las Vegas in terms of monthly takings. But how is the city structured? And how did she get so rich?
How gambling works in Macau
Unlike Las Vegas, where the casinos are concentrated almost exclusively along the famous Stripthere are two distinct avenues related to gambling in Macau. The first is the Cotai Strip, located within a reclaimed area between the islands of Taipa and Coloane and connected via various bridges to the Macau peninsula. The latter is the most historic part of the city, where some of the most iconic casinos are located such as the Sands or the Grand Lisboa, recognizable for its lotus flower shape.
Some of the most modern casinos are located along the Cotai Strip, such as the Venetian, the Galaxy or the Londoner. As can be deduced from the names, these structures have a strong Western appeal – also the result of the recent past as a former Portuguese colony, given that the territory came under the control of China only in 1999.
Among other things, it was the Portuguese who made gambling legal already around the mid-nineteenth century, so much so that even today this is the only place in the country where it is possible to practice it legally: this is undoubtedly one of the key factors in understanding the extraordinary success of Macau in the last twenty years.
Currently the most popular game of all is baccarat, although slot machines have also become increasingly popular in recent years. These initially met with little success, at least until traditional symbols such as diamonds and cherries were replaced with images more similar to local culture, such as dragons and flowers.
The numbers of Chinese Las Vegas
According to what was reported by the sector portal Gambling Insiderthe casinos in Macau generate a much higher income than that of Las Vegas: we are talking about an average of around 2 billion dollars a month, compared to around 1.4 billion in Nevada. It has even been observed that the month of October is by far the most profitable, with revenues of 2.57 billion dollars: these are enormous figures and possible thanks to the presence of local holidays which allow for a greater flow of customers.
Warning: does this mean that Macau is “stealing” customers from Las Vegas? In reality, no: Macau’s visitors are almost exclusively middle-upper class Chinese, while Las Vegas caters to a broader and – on average – less wealthy audience. This is also the reason why the basic bet in Macau is higher. It’s also good to keep in mind that several casinos and hotels built in Macau over the past twenty years are actually by companies that operate primarily in Las Vegas, such as Wynn Resorts and MGM Resorts.
