Macau is finally overtaking Vegas as the world's biggest gambling destination. The former Portuguese enclave, near Hong Kong, is set to take $6.8bn in revenues this year – $0.2 higher than Vegas predictions
Macau has really taken off in the last year as tourists flocked to the new resorts that keep opening – 23 and counting. Macau used to be a monopoly for gambling – run by the Stanley Ho empire. But the region opened up for competition in 2001.
Despite its smaller gaming capacity, Macau's revenues are outstripping those in Vegas, because its punters prefer the gaming tables to slot machines and play for higher stakes.
Although Macau is currently the only part of China to allow gambling, the city does face the growing threat of competition from elsewhere in Asia.
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Singapore has dropped its 40-year ban and agreed to the building of two huge casino resorts.
There has been talk of gaming laws being relaxed in countries including Thailand, Vietnam, Japan and Taiwan.
And Las Vegas is unlikely to be behind in the casino earnings stakes for long.
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