Are Macau’s days as a global gambling hub numbered? Casino capital faces drastic upheaval as China tightens its grip

Depending on your historical metric of choice, gaming has been an integral part of Macau society for the best part of 400 years. From the 16th century, as the city first opened its harbour to visitors, rudimentary games of chance were played between construction workers from mainland China, domestic helpers and coolies. In 2001, the seismic decision to liberalise the casino market transformed Macau into far and away the biggest gaming destination on the planet.

After out-Vegas-ing Las Vegas in 20 short years, Macau’s 658,000 inhabitants now boast the second-highest gross domestic product per capita in the world, wedged between oil-rich Qatar in first place and low-key finance centre Luxembourg in third.

But as the city approaches the quarter-century mark as a Special Administrative Region (SAR) of China, as it was designated in December 1999, some believe the gambling destination is facing an existential threat:
how does a city that depends on casinos for 80 per cent of its total tax revenue integrate into a nation

where gambling is not only illegal, but considered a threat to its economic and political security?

Source: https://www.scmp.com/magazines/post-magazine/long-reads/article/3182979/are-macaus-days-global-gambling-hub-numbered