When people think of gambling and casinos, the first place that pops into their minds is likely to be Las Vegas. However, you can forget about Las Vegas as South East Asia is fast becoming the world’s gambling capital. Back in 2006, Maca overtook Las Vegas’ yearly gambling revenue and this has paved the way for a lot of other countries in South East Asia to lift their gambling ban, leading to plenty of rewards. Below we are going to have a look at some of the countries in this part of the world that are seeing huge success in the gambling world. So, if you have been to Las Vegas and got the t-shirt, we recommend that you consider South East Asia as your next gambling destination.
Philippines
Manila, the capital city of the Philippines is a very popular bayside city that is littered with fantastic casinos. It is one of the best dining destinations in the world, has stunning landscape with volcanoes and beaches just 20 minutes apart, and has a truly stunning real estate portfolio. To top it off, it is a country with one of the highest number of land-based casinos in the world, making it a great destination for lovers of casino games. Throughout the country you will be able to play at no fewer than 65 brick and mortar casinos. The best casinos in the country include Manila Bay Resorts, Belle Grande, Solaire Manila, and Resorts World Manila. If you consider yourself to be a bit of a high roller, then you should pay a visit to Li Ying VIP Club and partake in some roulette or baccarat.
Singapore
The government of Singapore did not let the opportunity of making a lot of money from gambling pass them by and they legalised gambling back in 2005. The first casino resort that opened in Singapore was Resorts World, which cost a total of $4.8 billion to build. Just two months after this one was opened to the public; Marina Bay Sands opened its doors to the gambling world. If you thought the first one was expensive, you will probably be shocked to find out that the latter cost $5.5 billion to build. However, it was money well spent as these two casinos alone rake in more money each year than any other casinos on the planet. In fact, after just two years of being open, these two casinos made more money than they Las Vegas Strip combined.
If you look at a typical picture of Singapore’s skyline, you will always see a three-pillared building with what looks like a boat sitting on top. This is one of the world’s most photographed buildings, but many people are not aware that this is where Marina Bay Sands Casino is located. This casino has over 160,00 square feet of gambling space, 750 table games, and 2500 slot games.
Macau
Gambling in Macau is something that has been legal since 1887 when the government decided that they wanted a lot of extra taxes. Macau was the first destination to rake in more money than the Las Vegas Strip, which set a precedent across South East Asia. Nowadays, Macau is known to gamblers as the Monte Carlo of the East and this is mostly due to the mega casinos that can be found here. In 2004, the Sands Macau opened its doors to officially become the largest casino in the world and now you will find more than 35 magnificent casinos here. Some of the best ones include the likes of the Grand Lisboa, MGM Grand Macau, Venetian Macau, City of Dreams, Grand Waldo Casino, and Las Vegas Sands. If you visit any of these, it is safe to say that you will be blown away by the beauty on offer.
Malaysia
Having just one casino, it will probably come as a bit of a surprise to you to find Malaysia on this list, but we are speaking about the best gambling destinations in South East Asia, not the countries in South East Asia that have most casinos. The Resorts World Genting is one of most beautiful casinos in the world and it is situated between the mountains of Pahang and Selangor - about a thirty-minute drive from Kuala Lumpur, the capital city. The casino first opened its doors back in 1965 and since then it has undergone a lot of extensions and renovations to ensure that it remains one of the best casinos in the world. At this casino you will find 200,000 square foot of gambling space, 3,000 slot games, and over 400 table games. If you are the type of gambler than enjoy serenity, then this is a casino that you must visit.
Cambodia
Cambodia, not long ago, was one of South East Asia’s poorest countries, but it has seen a huge increase in casino numbers ever since the magnificent casino The Golden Crown opened its doors to the public. Some of the casinos that you can now find in Cambodia are even bigger than any that you can play at on the Las Vegas Strip. Many gamblers from neighbouring Vietnam cross the border to gamble here because they are not permitted to do so in their own country. You can now find no fewer than 50 casinos scattered throughout Cambodia.