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What are the top destinations in Asia for offline betting?
People always look for entertaining activities to help keep a good balance with their busy schedules. Some would consider playing sports, going shopping, hanging out with friends and family, and there are those who find gambling as a fun way of escaping the stressful busy days. There are many different types of people that follow their own style of playing in terms of mentality, habits, and traditions. It also involves traveling to different places that makes it more exciting to do more gambling activities.
Seeing new places while pursuing your gambling activities is an amazing experience, especially if you are doing it in Asia. The gambling industry in Asia is consistently growing, and there are many places you can go for offline betting. The countries in Asia are rich in tradition and history, which makes it a must for every tourist around the world to visit at least in their lifetime. Here are some areas in Asia where you can enjoy both your travel and gambling activities.
Gambling in Asia: Where to Go for Offline Betting
Here are the top destinations for offline betting:
Macau
Macau is considered Asia’s version of Las Vegas so it’s naturally included as the top destination in Asia for offline betting. They are a former Portuguese colony and became better than Las Vegas in terms of revenue from gambling activities in 2010. Macau is successful in attracting more gamblers to play, along with their great architectural designs to match the services.
The rise and globalization of China paved the way for Macau’s development with the help of foreign multinational casino companies. Their success was part of China’s economic prosperity through its people creating opportunities for tourism and gambling.
Macau became a special administrative region after returning to Chinese rule in 1999, which adhered to different laws from the mainland. They are part of China’s regions where gambling is legal and they became the country’s best gambling destination.
Before the 1999 handover, Macau was in an environment that was full of violent organized crimes that staged fierce competitions for VIP gaming rooms access. The VIP rooms hosted high-stake games in the private sector, which also helped Macau become successful because of a different experience compared to other areas.
Macau targets customers that are willing to spend large amounts of money, who attain private room access and exclusive privileges, instead of the common gamblers. This strategy became the source of the casino’s revenue and attracted more wealthy gamblers helping increase the casinos’ revenues as supported by sub-contracted gambling promoters.
The casino business in Macau helps its government by producing substantial tax revenue. This also made the country open up its doors and invite foreign firms to obtain a casino license with them and be part of the growing community.
The Sociedade de Turismo e Diversões de Macau, SA (STDM) was a company that monopolised the licensing division for casino operations in Macau until 2001. In 2002, Macau began awarding several foreign joint ventures and multinational firms their licenses, which includes huge firms from Australia, Hong Kong, and the US. Some notable firms from the US are Las Vegas Sands, Galaxy, Wynn Resorts, and MGM.
These big companies invested in Macau’s new casino resort complexes that contain high-end shopping malls and luxurious hotels. Macau has a small land area that consists of two small islands and a mainland peninsula. Visitors are amazed by casino venues such as the Grand Lisboa, The Venetian, and MGM because of their grand architectural design and countless games available for all the players.
Malaysia
Malaysia is one of the best countries to visit in Asia, not only for offline betting. They have great places and nice people everywhere you go. Malaysia is also a melting pot of different races, which makes them rich in culture and tradition. Most Malaysians are Muslims where they follow Sharia Laws, which prohibit them to enter the country’s only casino. But this did not stop the growth of the offline betting industry in the country. There are many options for gamblers to continue playing such as online casinos, where there are also many varieties of games, great bonuses, and amazing designs.
Malaysia’s only resort is one of the best complexes in the world. It offers around 10,000 rooms in Genting Highlands, and they also have the First World Hotel and Plaza. The place also offers numerous dining options that serve from Malaysian street foods to the best world-class cuisines with the best view of the misty mountains.
The Genting Casino (also known as Casino de Genting) provides 400 types of electronic table games, around 3,000 slot machines, and more than 400 tables that have games like Tai Sai, Blackjack, Russian roulette, and French Boule. The place has several themed sections, which include VIP rooms and exclusive international rooms for elite players.
If you are planning to visit the Genting Casino, remember that they require all visitors to dress appropriately. Men should wear batik-printed or plain attire and closed shoes. Women should wear smart casual clothing and footwear. They do not allow backpacks, any electronic gadgets, or cameras inside the casino.
Malaysia does not have any clear regulations on online gambling, but most locals would avoid prosecution due to their easy accessibility on online gambling sites. Those who would want to try online betting can set up their online account by registering and top up using online deposits or through bank transfers. Payouts are also done through similar methods.
Philippines
The Philippines is slowly becoming a great competitor of Macau as it is growing with its many casinos all around the country. The Resorts World Manila is one of the best casino resorts in the Philippines that attracts many gamblers every day. It operates with almost 300 live tables and more than 1,500 other machines inside the casino. The country also has other casino resorts such as Resorts World Bayshore, Okada Manila, and City of Dreams.
The Philippines is famous for its tourist destinations, especially its beaches. Most Filipinos can speak English, which makes it easier for foreigners to communicate with the locals. They also have a low cost of living that attracts more people to consider living in the country.
But if you are considering using their online betting, you will encounter their slow internet connection caused by many factors and issues. Fortunately, there are many internet options that are available in the country that make sure you will have a stable connection.
The Philippines has many traditional and online casinos that a lot of locals and foreigners patronize. There are also many different ways to gamble in the Philippines such as playing bingo or the lottery. You can also place your bets on other sports like boxing, basketball, and billiards. They also have cockfights that are legal and in illegal settings so there are different options for offline betting.
Singapore
Singapore is one of Asia’s top places to visit and experience the different cultures and traditions. It is popularly known as a playground for the rich because of its successful economic growth despite its small land area. Singapore offers many high-end shopping malls, fine dining restaurants, and luxury hotels, which attract more tourists from around the world.
They also have an efficient public transportation system that helps tourists go around the city with ease. People can enjoy many family-friendly attractions, safe public spaces, and appreciate the great architectural wonders of the city. Tourists will not have any problems with communications because most people here know how to speak English. There are also scattered signs that are in English for better navigation everywhere.
If you want to try the offline betting scene in Singapore, tourists are most welcome to visit and enjoy some of the best casino resorts in Asia. Although the locals experience difficulties in going to casinos because of their government regulations, specifically paying S$100 for each visit at any casinos. This is the government’s strategy to regulate the offline betting problem of their locals, to help maintain the good flow of their economy and prevent disruption of their economic growth.
Singapore is a beautiful country to visit and experience their wonderful tourist spots and enjoy playing in their casinos. Their casinos are full of prestige and glamour which started less than 20 years ago. This means that the casino industry in Singapore is still young compared to Macau and Vegas. The country is also one of the top banking capitals in the world, giving high rollers many opportunities to play every day in their casinos.
One of Singapore’s best places to gamble is the Marina Bay Sands. They offer almost 500 gaming tables, more than 1,500 slot machines, and over 30 VIP rooms for the elite players. They have the latest and trendy electronic gaming machines in the world.
Another great place to visit in Singapore is the Resorts World Sentosa, which hosted more than 45 million guests within their initial three years of operation. The casino has 15,000 square meters of land area and has the most casino games in the country. The resort complex also offers the Universal Studios theme park, Marine Life Park, and the Maritime Experiential Museum for guests taking a break from their casino games.
Final Thoughts
Going to Las Vegas may be the ultimate dream for casino players, but the offline betting industry in Asia is putting up a good competition that gives people around the world to explore more of what they have to offer. Asia has places like Macau, Malaysia, the Philippines, and Singapore that people can consider as among the top destinations in the world for their tourist attractions and world-class casinos for some offline betting.