You may not know much about Macau unless you are familiar with the casino sector. Previously a Portuguese colony, this bustling city has recently converted into the world’s gaming center.
In 2010, Macau produced more gaming income than the whole state of Nevada. It’s not the Las Vegas of China, but it’s the largest of them all.
Macau has expanded as a result of China’s growing globalization, with international multinational casinos at the forefront. Millions of people have traveled to this gorgeous location, both domestically and beyond, to try their luck at the tables as a result of the flourishing economy.
China has reigned over Macau since 1999, however despite the fact that gaming is outlawed under Chinese law, Macau has been managed as a Special Administrative Region.
The country’s administrative region. As a result, it is subject to different laws, making it the only part of Greater China, including Hong Kong, where gambling is permitted.
Prior to resuming Chinese administration, Macau was riddled with organized crime vying for access to the casinos’ VIP rooms. These identical rooms are today one of the most important contributors to Macau’s growth.
They host the world’s largest games with the greatest stakes, making the experience unlike any other gambling location on the planet.
As a result, Macau’s casinos are eager to recruit high rollers.
Rather of benefitting from the crowds, they make the majority of their money from private rooms and special treatment for affluent gamblers. In fact, it was claimed in 2013 that high rollers accounted for 66 percent of all income produced by casinos.
Macau is the gambling capital of the world because to the freedoms it enjoys, as well as the fact that it is the home of high stakes gaming.
The Causes of Macau’s Success
Macau’s gaming scene is now at least four times larger than that of Las Vegas. According to Reuters, the 33 casinos in Macau made more than $3 billion in the first five months of the year alone – a relatively low sum when compared to past years.
Macau, on the other hand, did not become a tremendous success overnight.
However, for people residing in China and Hong Kong, Macau was enticing for a simple reason: it was close enough to visit without causing a problem, but far enough away to engage in immoral behavior.
What makes it popular?
During Chinese New Year, around 100,000 people visit the Venetian Macau, the world’s largest casino with 550,000 square feet of gaming space.
For comparison, the Venetian in Las Vegas has a casino floor of 120,000 square feet, making it the world’s second-largest casino. This merely goes to highlight how massive the Venetian Macau truly is.
While the proportions change, the Venetian Macau is an exact duplicate of the Las Vegas complex, down to the smallest features. Visitors can pose in St Mark’s Square and enjoy all of the magnificent performances on offer.
Nonetheless, Macau tailors the gaming experience to a more domestic market rather than succumbing to Western culture.
For example, they have hired feng shui experts to design the ideal arrangement, and participants may sip complementary tea instead of beer and alcohol.
The preferred game is not poker, blackjack, or roulette. Baccarat is the main attraction in Macau. Baccarat accounted for 85 percent of all revenue at Macau’s casinos in 2008.
Above all, the largest distinction between Macau and Las Vegas is the people. In contrast to Las Vegas, where there is a lot of casual peeking, players review their hold cards with vigor.
While the rustling of chips may be heard from every nook and cranny of the premises, it’s more likely to be stopped by a sudden thump of a table than by a cheer or sigh at a poor beat. Gambling is a significant business in Macau.
This helps to explain why a culture founded on saving is so involved in gambling. While Westerners perceive gambling as a recreational activity, Chinese gamers consider it as a business opportunity.
They are, in their opinion, taking risks in order to gain more money. This makes a lot of sense in an atmosphere surrounded by money.
The Chinese are likewise prone to superstition. They feel they have good fortune, which will result in lucky victories for them at the tables.
When you combine this with their belief that they can influence the outcome of a game, you have something that appears to be an investment.
On the casino floor, normal individuals bet hundreds of dollars in only a few hands.
The major activity, however, can be found in the VIP rooms, which, as previously said, are where the big rollers reside. Casinos provide luxurious advantages in exchange for gambling, such as penthouse rooms with state-of-the-art Jacuzzis and private jet rides into the location.
Macau has 38 casinos, with 23 on the Macau Peninsula and the remaining 10 on Taipa Island.
Each resort offers a diverse selection of casino games, including baccarat, blackjack, roulette, poker, and slots, as well as Chinese games such as fan tan and sic bo.
Macao Tower
If you get the opportunity to visit Macau, do not miss out on seeing Macau Tower, the city’s most prominent landmark. Macau Tower, located in the New Reclamation Area of Macau West Bay, has a total height of 338 meters (standing 338 meters at its highest point, 56 floors altogether) from ground to highest point. It is the world’s tenth autonomous tourist tower and a member of the World Federation of Great Towers. It is taller than Auckland’s Sky Structure, Paris’ Eiffel Tower, and Sydney’s AMP Tower, and it is Southeast Asia’s tallest sightseeing steel tower.
The Macau Tower, as a new landmark and preferred sightseeing attraction in Macau, is not only an essential choice for leisure and entertainment for Macau residents, but also the focal point of various business awards, tourism, entertainment, and leisure activities for tourists from Asia and around the world. Aside from being a tourist attraction, the Macau Tower also serves as a local telecommunications and TV transmission facility.