Michael Bristow, a correspondent for BBC news recently wrote about the changing face of Macau amidst a casino driven boom in one of China’s most interesting regions.

• It has been legal to gamble in Macau for over 150 years, but the government has only recently realized this potential and is now expected to make five times more than Las Vegas this year.
• Increasing the number of casino licenses from one to six is what caused the initial burst in casino investment in the region. It remains the only place in China where it is legal to gamble.
• Bets of hundreds of thousands of dollars on single hands are not uncommon. Gaming revenue accounts for around half of the income in this region. Casino’s employ 20% of the workforce.

Read more about conference halls the size of football fields, why the honeymoon period may be over and the social costs of the gambling establishments over here.

Source: BBC News