The Truth about Gambling in Macau
For the most part, Macau remains an enigma to Westerners. A great many casino enthusiasts have heard that Macau is the next Las Vegas – what with gambling revenues, attractions, casinos and hotels – but what exactly is Macau like? And what is its history? Fortunately, aficionados of gaming will be well pleased to note that Macau is indeed a viable Asian alternative to the thriving entertainment epicenter of Las Vegas, Nevada. Macau is in fact a former Portuguese colony. It reverted back to Chinese rule in 1999 after some 400 years under Portuguese control. The residents of Macau have been guaranteed Western freedoms until at least 2049 by China. Strangely enough, the patrons who have been flocking to Macau’s world-famous casinos have largely been players from neighboring Hong Kong and mainland China. Macau is situated along the East coast of China, near the South China Sea.Macau: A Casino Giant is Born
The actual emergence of Macau as a giant in the casino arena didn’t begin until 2002. It was in that year that foreign capital began flowing into Macau for construction, development and investment. The end of a decades-long vice grip on the casino and hotel gambling scene (under Hong Kong tycoon Stanley Ho) marked the dawning of a new time where expansive development began taking root at a rate of knots. From the early 2000s onwards, casinos started emerging en masse. And these were no ordinary hotel and casino initiatives – they were casino juggernauts along the lines of Vegas-style establishments.
Within a short time, the revenues generated by the Macau casino boom outshone those of Las Vegas. That first occurred in 2006. Since then, Macau has regularly ranked higher than its Western counterpart in terms of sheer $ pulling power. The relative youth of Macau casinos means that the branded casino hubs are constantly competing with one another for patrons. Of course this means that patrons are the ones who benefit from lower prices, greater added-value and improved customer service.
Quality Gaming at World Class Casinos
Macau may equal and rival Las Vegas for a dominant share of the gaming market, but it has a ways to go before it can compare to the universal freedoms and humans rights standards of the USA. For the most part though, residents of Macau (530,000 people) are happy to go about their lives under the status-quo. There is a certain degree of autonomy granted to people living in Macau and the territory is governed by the 1 country 2 systems principle. Macau is tiny by anyone’s admission – the entire territory is but 9 square miles – a drop in the ocean when compared to the vast expanse that is China. The major languages in Macau include both Chinese and Portuguese. Gambling activity in Macau is strictly regulated by the government although all the checks and balances inherent in Western-style casino powerhouses are not necessarily present in Macau casinos. This means that players may at times be disadvantaged (by way of payout percentages, responsible gaming practices and the like).
Live Dealers Make Macau Magnificent
The scope of casino gaming activity in Macau is unrivalled. Blackjack games, Craps games, Roulette and Slots are but some of the popular gaming attractions. In fact whatever Las Vegas sports in terms of player favourites, Macau has in abundance too. Its the appeal of the reel, the spin and win mentality that has punters coming back for more – time and again. Live dealers constitute a big part of the allure of Macau. Baccarat, Texas Hold’em, Bingo and Keno games are among the many leading games that Macau casinos offer.
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