Las Vegas will always be Las Vegas – the City of Lights, Sin City, and an entertainment mecca. But for people who love serious gambling, Vegas is a has-been. On the global stage, the casino money is flowing to one place, and it isn’t Vegas anymore. It’s going to Macau, a former Portuguese colony. Macau’s annual gaming revenue beat that of the iconic Las Vegas back in 2006 when it officially cemented its status as a gambling capital of the world.
But are there any fundamental differences between these two gambling utopias? Have a look at the infographic created by Casino Sites to find out!
Gambling in Vegas is flashy and fun, whereas gambling in Macau is for serious players. Gambling revenue in Las Vegas mostly comes from slots, while gambling in Macau is all about baccarat. When gambling in Vegas, you’ll be served alcohol beverages by half-clothed waitresses, while in Macau you’ll get a cup of hot tea provided by aged grandmothers. Gambling in Macau is less about fun and more about focusing strictly on business.
The atmosphere in Macau is centered more around the Asian culture, while in Vegas it’s directed toward whoever comes there. Chinese gamblers think that their winnings are written in stars. In Vegas, visitors consider gambling as a game of skill rather than destiny in the stars and all that.
Although casinos in Las Vegas are huge, Macau casinos are some of the biggest buildings in the world.
Gambling in Macau casinos is for high-rollers as most of the visitors there belong to the Chinese elite class. If you can afford to go to casinos in Macau, it probably means you won’t be overly stressed if you lose lots of money. More older people frequent Vegas – some even carting around their own oxygen tanks. This is because Vegas hosts an abundance of small casinos with penny machines, a form of betting geared toward the older crowd.
Gambling Tax HavenMacau is considered a gambling haven, because gambling winnings go untaxed. On the other hand, if you hit the jackpot in Vegas, American citizens have to pay 25%-30% of their earnings in taxes. If you are an international player, you would have to pay even higher taxes at around 30%.
Celebrities who visit Vegas and MacauCelebrities consider Vegas their personal playground, whether for work or fun. The rich and famous know that they can land in the City of Lights and be treated like royalty. In Vegas, it’s an off day if you haven’t run into Ben Affleck, Pamela Anderson, or Tiger Woods. Sin City is a renowned destination for A-list celebrities that want to stay away from the spotlight and enjoy some time off. Macau casinos are frequently visited by Hollywood heavyweights like Martin Scorsese, Leonardo DiCaprio, or Robert De Niro.