Macau Branches Out

Macau, a special administrative region of the People’s Republic of China, is the only legal gambling option for the billion-plus Chinese residents.

Its dominance of the world gambling market has come solely from gaming.

Las Vegas, the world’s second-largest market, pales in comparison, cashing in likely only one-seventh of Macau’s gambling revenues in 2013 according to the Wall Street Journal.

And with its 35 casinos crammed into less than 12 square miles, Macau’s gambling earnings are expected to grow at a healthy clip.

Despite the gambling revenue, Macau still hasn’t entered the public consciousness the way Las Vegas has.

To bolster its reputation as a global entertainment destination, the mainland Chinese government as well as Macau leaders have ordered casinos to diversify the economy by investing more in non-gambling facilities such as theatres and fine dining, according to the Journal.