The 6 best casinos in Macau
Macau is renowned as a gambler’s paradise. Here’s our guide to the six best casinos to visit in the East Asian gambling capital.
Macau is often regarded as the gambling capital of the world. With high rollers pouring in from China and elsewhere in East Asia, its gross gaming revenue dwarfs that of other gambling hubs.
The special administrative region boasts over 30 casinos and hosts games with the highest stakes in the world, while a mix of cultures, outlandish architecture, stunning entertainment and dining options and cutting edge technology make for an experience unlike any other.
Where to begin then? Read on for our guide to the best casinos in Macau.
1. The Venetian Macao
The world’s biggest casino is located in Macau. The Venetian Macao, owned by the US’s Las Vegas Sands, is also the seventh-largest building in the world by floor area.
Modelled on its sister resort The Venetian Las Vegas, the casino offers luxury gaming in eye-watering numbers, with no fewer than 640 gaming tables, 1,760 slot machines, 3,000 guest suites and more than 30 restaurants, from Michelin-starred fine dining to intimate bars and cafés.
Estrada da Baia de Nossa Senhora da Esperanca, Macau.
2. Wynn Palace
Owned by international resort developer Wynn Resorts, Wynn Palace has 1,706 exquisitely furnished rooms, suites and villas, versatile meeting facilities and over 106,000 square feet (9,800 m2) of luxury retail.
Dripping with elegance in every corner, it’s not for nothing that Wynn Palace is the first and only resort in the world with more than one thousand rooms to receive the Forbes Travel Guide Five Star Award.
The Wynn has more than 1,000 slot machines and live table games, including 350 gaming tables such as roulette, blackjack and various poker variations.
Entering the resort via the air-conditioned Sky Cabs, which serve as a transport link connecting Wynn Palace to the other side of the Performance Lake and Cotai East Station, is an experience in itself.
Avenida Da Nave Desportiva Taipa, Ilhas, Macau.
3. Grand Lisboa
The Grand Lisboa, which opened on February 11, 2007, is the tallest building in Macau, making it a distinctive part of its skyline.
This casino stands out for being the first in Macau to offer Texas hold ’em poker ring games and craps, although several other casinos in Macau now offer the game.
The venue was designed with gambling as the priority, so don’t expect to find as many entertainment options or attractions as at other venues, although the casino does have some of Macau’s best fine dining restaurants.
The casino has over 230 gaming tables and 880 slot machines. The poker room is home to the largest and most popular poker tournaments in Asia. Its rewards programme is often said to be one of the best in Macau.
2-4 Av. de Lisboa, Macau.
4. The Parisian Macao
This Parisian-themed resort is the fourth development on the Cotai Strip from Las Vegas Sands subsidiary Sands China. It features a half-scale replica of the Eiffel Tower, and the architecture and décor are all French-themed.
The property has around 2,700 hotel rooms, 170 shops and 56,000 square feet of meeting space. The casino hosts 400 tables with popular games such as baccarat and roulette as well as slot games with minimums that range from $0.10 and $2.
There are more traditional Las Vegas-style games such as craps, but local game Sic Bo with big/small minimums of $300 is the real hit.
Estrada do Istmo, Lote 3, Cotai Strip, Macau.
5. MGM Cotai
This US$3.2bn casino and resort is designed to resemble a jewellery box. Fittingly, you’ll find luxury and art everywhere inside.
The casino is home to a collection of over 300 pieces of contemporary art – one of the largest permanent art collections in Macau. The collection has the theme of bridging eastern and western culture and combining tradition and technology.
It also has an exquisite gastronomic offering and several options for drinks. The property offers 1,390 rooms and suites, which include 16 Skylofts and 27 Mansion Villas.
The casino takes up less than 10 per cent of the overall floor space, with 177 gaming tables (12 for VIP customers) and 1,500 slot machines. Here you’ll find classic games such as baccarat, blackjack, craps and roulette.
It also offers MGM Stud Poker, which is no different than normal Caribbean Stud Poker but instead of betting a flat $25 on the progressive side bet, players can bet up to $125 and win more money than usual if they get four of a kind, a flush or a straight.
Avenida da Nave Desportiva Cotai, Macau.
6. Sands Macao
The Sands Macao casino is a true gaming paradise with critically acclaimed restaurants and luxury facilities.
The casino has over 23,000 square metres of gaming space, 20-metre high ceilings, over 200 table games and more than 1,000 slot machines with a strong mix of Asian and European casino games.
Slot machines include games like Megabucks, which lets players win as much as $50m. You can also enjoy popular games like 50 Dragons Legends, Crystal, Ju Bao Pen, and Duo Fu Duo Cai. There are also video poker terminals offering multiple variations.
High rollers can enrol in the Sands Rewards Club for comps such as free suites, meals, drinks, and casino credit.
203, Largo de Monte Carlo, Macau.
