Macau's casinos are a big draw

Gambling in Macau has been legal since the 1850s when the Portuguese government legalized the activity in the colony. Since Macau has become known worldwide as "Monte Carlo of the Orient".

Tourism gambling in Macao is the largest source of income, which represents about 50% of the economy. The visits consist primarily of mainland Chinese nationals and Hong Kong. After the entry of large foreign casinos in Las Vegas and Australia, Macao surpassed the Las Vegas Strip gaming revenues in 2007.

Until western casino was introduced in the 20th century, only the Chinese games, the most popular Fan-Tan. Generally, gambling in Macao is divided into three different categories: casino games, horse racing and greyhound. There are also sports paris and a number of lotteries. Today, Macau is not allowed the operation of online games.