Macau Casinos

Here is a reason you must visit Macau Casinos. The biggest gamblers in the world gamble in Macau. Exaggerating? No, it’s true. I once witnessed my annual salary just worth somebody’s one bet. That was an unforgettable experience ever in my Macau casino visiting history. Though this is quite an extreme case, it won't be difficult to spot big gamblers in Macau.

Isn’t it amazing to find a small city in China with such great gambling business turnover? In 2005, Macau generated about US$5.3 billion in gaming winnings. That same year Las Vegas Strip generated US$6 billion. Many believe this tiny territory, less than one-sixth the size of Washington, DC, is to overtake Las Vegas Strip in 2007 as the world’s gaming capital.

Though the world’s biggest gamblers gamble here, Macau gambling business is gradually switching to the leisure side with the introduction of Vegas-style casinos.

Almost all Macau casinos open 24 hours. Minimum bet is HK$100. Slot machines minimum can be as low as 5 cents per line. When you are done, you can get a ticket from the slot machine and collect your money from the cashier.

You would have to go through a brief security check at the entrance. This process might be omitted when entering rooms with slot machines only.

Use only Hong Kong dollars within Macau casinos. Local Macau people seldom or never go to casinos. Macau government employees are forbidden to go to casinos. Therefore Macau casinos mainly survive on visitors from Hong Kong, mainland China and overseas. That is why only Hong Kong dollar is being used.

Games available at Sands is quite diversified, such as baccarat, fan tan, Caribbean stud poker, three card baccarat, blackjack, big and small, roulette and slot machines. With 740 gambling tables, Sands has more tables than any other casino in the world, and about as many as the combined number of tables at Bellagio, MGM Grand, Mirage, Mandalay Bay and Luxor.

Wynn Resort
Open in September 2006 and targets the luxury market. Its minimum room rate is around US$230++. It is just as sleek and sophisticated at its Las Vegas counterpart.

The Wynn Casino Macau features typical Las Vegas entertainments and shows for guests. There are hundreds of gambling tables and slot machines. Wynn offers both currency exchange and an ATM onsite. However they won't allow you to go in with a backpack.

Hotel Lisboa
Run by famous Chinese gambling tycoon Stanley Ho, Hotel Lisboa and its casino chain used to monopolize the Macau gaming business. However Macau casino monopoly came to an end in 2002. Thereafter, the first Vegas-managed casino Sands open in 2004.

Just opposite to Wynn Resort, Hotel Lisboa is now receiving fewer and fewer guests. Though it remains a landmark of Macau, they have many drawbacks comparing with the newly built Vegas-style casinos. There are no free drinks, no entertainments and they are not luxury enough.

Even so, the major drawback is its forced tipping policy. I once won HK$12,000 but was only paid HK$10,000. I had no right to argue, they just took it as obvious. Actually all the traditional Chinese own Macau casinos had the same tipping policy.

Venetian is a huge luxury casino hotel with 3,000 suites (1,500 completed for now). Here is another reason you must visit Macau, as you will not find such a huge casino elsewhere - 100,000 square meters under one roof. People from Las Vegas told me they had never seen such a huge casino before. It was a bit high pressure for my recent visit as I was afraid of losing my way.

Unlike other casinos, Venetian let you in and out freely, without any security check. I really like this practice.

Anna’s Notes
In Macau, you are never far away from any casino. There is fun even if you don’t bet. As I said, I saw the biggest gambler ever in my life. A Chinese man was holding four palm-size chips valued HK$500,000 (US$64,100) each, many of the HK$50,000’s (US$6,410) together with many over-size huge-value chips. He was betting half a million Hong Kong dollars without batting an eye.

One thing I don’t like about Macau casinos is that all of them don’t have non-smoking area. Apparently, only the slot hall at the Macau Tower has non-smoking zone. If you want some fresh air while playing slot machine, may be the Macau Tower is your first choice.

Hong Kong & Macau City Guide

Heading to Macau to see what happens when Chinese and Portuguese cultures meet? Make sure to travel with this Lonely Planet comprehensive city guide of Hong Kong and Macau.