At the time, the city was an undeveloped port, given over to the Portuguese by the Chinese as compensation for helping them reduce the pirate threat in the region. Macao was a Portuguese colony for over four centuries since the Portuguese conquistadors raised their flag over Macao in 1557. Of course, they were nothing like today’s luxurious and shiny casinos instead, these houses were hidden, seedy spots with even seedier hosts. Macao was a Portuguese colony when the first gambling venues started arising in this city.

To find out more about its history and how it became the number one gambling spot on the planet, read on! However, even for many seasonal gamblers, Macao remains a mystery.

With 41 casinos and gambling houses, the city-state generated $7.61 billion from its gambling industry in 2020. What place do you think of when someone says “the world’s casino capital”? Do you think of Las Vegas, or maybe Monte Carlo? Many people would say that it is the notorious city in Nevada, but Macao is the actual gambling capital of the world.