Top 10 Biggest Casinos in the World
When it comes to the casino industry, it is common to see Las Vegas and Macau come up as the main contenders. However, despite their popularity, several other gambling destinations have caught the fancy of gambling aficionados. With an estimated $140 billion wagered in the U.S. on gambling and lotteries in 2022, New Jersey has been called a state “where the odds are in your favor.” As per an estimate, each day at least $200 million is gambled in New Jersey. Macau too witnessed a sharp rise in gambling revenue in 2022, in line with the gambling wave that was witnessed in the U.S.
In fact, gambling revenue in Macau increased by 20.8% between 2013 and 2016. Having said that, Macau is not the only city to give Macau a run for its money. Other cities around the world have been major destinations for gambling enthusiasts. In the last few years, some other casino destinations have been witnessing a growth in demand.
The top 10 Biggest Casinos in the World, listed in no particular order, are worth a mention.
Las Vegas
Number 1
Opened: April 1, 1939
3 US-Pacific Islands: Las Vegas, The Philippines, Hawaii
Type of Slot Machine
Blackjack, Roulette, Craps
Where to Play
On any land-based casino inside Nevada.
Las Vegas has always been the top choice for anyone who wants to gamble. Although the state of Nevada has no casino outside its borders, one can easily visit Nevada, play Blackjack, Roulette or even casino-style games of craps in Reno, or for that matter in any land-based casino inside Nevada. Despite being a tourist destination, Nevada was home to a number of gaming giants, such as Caesars Palace and New Frontier Hotel & Casino.
Las Vegas is the world’s biggest gaming destination, with visitors flocking to Las Vegas in their millions. It can be clearly seen by the fact that Las Vegas gets the highest number of visitors annually, and while more than 70 million visitors visit Las Vegas on an average, that’s just one-fifth of what it gets during the peak seasons.
Additionally, there are now more than 300 casinos in Las Vegas, out of which over 50 casinos are outside Nevada. Even though Las Vegas is an American city, visitors can easily gamble in the city of Sin, provided they don’t have a problem crossing the border.
The longest US-state border with Mexico is 5 miles, that’s less than half the length of the 3,000-mile border with Canada. It is a long way to travel, but with the Border Crossing Card and you can gamble with the kind of freedom usually only found in the most cosmopolitan cities of the world.
In fact, it is one of the biggest cash generating regions in Nevada. However, despite its massive annual revenue, more than $14 billion dollars of revenue is wasted on paying gambling licenses for casinos located outside of Nevada.
Macau
Number 2
Opened: June 19, 1999
28.1m New Registration Unsold Units in Macau
No. of Slot Machine
22 to 24 slots
Where to Play
Macau is the most popular gambling destination in Asia, attracting about 2.5 million visitors every year. However, gambling enthusiasts have another option too. The government of Macau has allowed the gaming sector to re-open casinos and lotteries outside Macau, and since 2001, more than 200 casinos, 10,000 gaming tables, more than 3,500 gaming machines and of course, more than one million slot machines have been in operation in Macau.
However, there is still room to go before Macau is considered among the top 10 gambling destinations in the world. Although it is one of the biggest gambling destinations in the world, it still hasn’t made a profit from the activity. As per statistics, Macau is yet to make a profit from gambling. Still, the bustling casino city has attracted nearly 14 million visitors in 2016, and it is predicted to beat that number by 2019. The China Market is still largely untapped and huge prospects lie ahead.
Singapore
Number 3
Opened: January 19, 1999
13.2m New Registration Unsold Units in Singapore
Type of Slot Machine
Video Slots, Blackjack, Roulette, Craps
Where to Play
Single Screen and Double Screen Casinos on land-based casinos
Singapore is quickly evolving as a hot destination for both leisure and business travelers. The nation is now a popular shopping destination, as well as a major tourist attraction. The gambling industry of Singapore is also getting a boost with the opening of casinos outside Singapore, particularly in the Las Vegas of Asia.
Some of the world’s leading gambling groups are in talks with the Singapore government about setting up casinos in the country. Singapore is also increasing its gaming operations at Resorts World Sentosa, with a huge focus on providing seamless entertainment experiences and world-class hotels to its visitors.
While Resorts World Sentosa has experienced a recent downturn in business, the Resorts World property is looking like a huge investment for the government. The crown jewel in the portfolio is Genting Highlands Resort and Casino, a resort within a resort that opened in 2011. It is the first and only integrated casino resort in Southeast Asia and Singapore’s most sophisticated casino and hotel.
It has one of the best performance indicators in the region. As per Gaming Research Asia Ltd., in 2016, the resort has made $154 million, compared to an industry average of $157 million. According to the UN World Tourism Organization, Singapore attracted 32 million tourists in 2017 and the gaming industry was responsible for a significant portion of their spend. Genting Resorts is likely to be a huge revenue contributor for Singapore in the future, considering their current momentum.
Malta
Number 4
Opened: April 20, 1998
13.2m New Registration Unsold Units in Malta
Type of Slot Machine
Traditional, Reel to Reel, Micro Slots, Table Games
What to Play
Casinos, Lotteries, E-Sports
Malta is an ancient island in the Mediterranean Sea, with Europe as its doorstep. The country is famous for its many beautiful natural attractions, picturesque beaches and historical landmarks. But it is also becoming increasingly popular as a tourist destination. It was listed as the World’s Leading Cultural Destination by
The New York Times for the past three years, and was also named as a European Destination of the Year by Euro monitor International in the same year. It is primarily a destination for tourists, who want to visit the medieval towns of Mdina and Valletta, and explore some of Malta’s amazing beaches.
The industry has its fair share of several notable casinos, some of which are already earning good revenue and making a name for themselves. It also has a lot to offer in terms of gaming, the biggest attraction for many tourists. Top casinos in Malta include the Prime Casino in St. Julian’s, the Grand Lido Palace Casino in Marsa, and the Victoria and Albert Casino in Sliema. In 2016, Malta earned a record-breaking $2.2 billion from its casinos.
The Philippines
Number 5
Opened: 1986
13.2m New Registration Unsold Units in the Philippines
Type of Slot Machine
Video Slots, Table Games, Digital
Where to Play
Casinos, Lotteries, E-Sports, Live Gaming
The Philippines has a diverse market with a lot of potentials. But it still faces a lot of legal challenges to its industry growth. From the government’s perspective, the industry is only half-way developed. Most of the businesses in the industry are either fully- owned or operated by locals, which is not a good sign for a developing industry.
Many foreign casinos still have a hold on the market in the country, a situation that requires the government’s intervention and encouragement. Coupled with concerns about foreigners being treated like criminals when they enter the country to gamble, only very few of them are actually keen to come into the country.
The government needs to understand that casinos can be beneficial for the country and improve tourism. The casino industry, when fully developed and opened up to the public, is expected to generate a considerable amount of revenue for the country.
With the Philippines being a country where the weather is hot, the country could be a huge destination for travelers who enjoy the weather. Gaming has always been one of the country’s biggest money spinners, and many local governments are focusing on developing their domestic tourism to the level of making it a dominant revenue earner.
It is highly unlikely that we would ever see the Philippines join the ranks of the world’s leading gaming destinations, as long as it has this perception and perception is everything. That being said, it’s not entirely impossible to get close to being included. The industry is still very young and the Philippines has a lot of potentials to tap into.
Indonesia
Number 6
Opened: 2011
13.2m New Registration Unsold Units in Indonesia
Type of Slot Machine
Video Slots, Table Games, Digital
Where to Play
Casinos, Lotteries, E-Sports, Live Gaming, Online Gambling
With an established domestic market and a reputation as one of the world’s most corrupt countries, there are so many factors that would make Indonesia a difficult destination for any casino operator. The licensing procedures have long been in place and very few foreigners are willing to invest in Indonesia.
Many prospective investors want to explore a prospective growth in the industry and how they can capitalize on the increasing number of Chinese investors looking for investments in the Southeast Asian country. But what are some of the reasons why the casino market in Indonesia is being shunned?
Despite all the efforts to promote the country as a tourist destination, tourists still aren’t confident to visit Indonesia and that is one of the factors that is hurting the industry. The amount of money that is being taken from the country by China is astounding. The money that goes through the Indonesian economy has put Indonesia on the map as an attractive destination for foreign tourists, yet it remains to be seen if they actually visit Indonesia or just for a couple of days on an excursion.
There are multiple reasons why casinos in Indonesia are facing difficulties. The weather is not good for business, and the security situation is very good in some places, but in some parts of the country, it can be a lot worse. And finally, corruption in Indonesia is very bad.
Despite the worries of potential investors, the fact of the matter is that for many years there have been problems with the gambling industry in Indonesia. It has been very hard to gain a foothold in the market, and as a result, many international casinos have decided not to invest in the country. We can only hope that the industry in Indonesia can develop further, and maybe in a couple of years, we will see some high-level international gaming companies investing in the country.
Jamaica
Number 5
Opened: 2013
9.1m New Registration Unsold Units in Jamaica
Video Slots, Table Games, Digital
Where to Play
Casinos, Lotteries, E-Sports, Live Gaming, Online Gambling
A country where one of the main industries is the gaming industry, with the government investing millions of dollars into making the nation a gambling hub, Jamaica has some serious issues that need to be addressed. Because of the poverty in Jamaica, people don’t have a lot of money to spend on entertainment. Casino games are one of the few things they can do to have a good time and to save up for a vacation.
Unfortunately, the real estate and the people that own it are not willing to sell their property to the casinos. And the process to get a license to run a casino in Jamaica takes forever. Casinos are not allowed to open in Jamaica, although it does look like the government is looking to ease the process of getting a license.
It was recently reported that the gaming industry is in a legal battle with the Jamaican government for allowing the doors to casinos to open in the country. The casinos feel that they are the lifeblood of the island economy and they want to be allowed to operate.
But there are also a lot of young people that really want to have a place to go to have a good time. They are frustrated with having to wait so long for the government to create a casino license, and in the meantime, they are unable to make a living.
The lack of money in the economy is also a problem for the country and some resorts in the country are showing their age, yet the government is unwilling to invest in the country’s infrastructure to improve the tourism and casino industry in Jamaica. While it may be a few years before Jamaica has a fully functioning gambling industry, it is one to keep an eye on.
Colombia
Number 4
Opened: 2012
4.5m New Registration Unsold Units in Colombia
Type of Slot Machine
Video Slots, Table Games, Digital
Where to Play
Casinos, Lotteries, E-Sports, Live Gaming, Online Gambling
Colombia has one of the fastest-growing gambling markets in Latin America. The casinos in Colombia are busy and in full swing at the moment, with a lot of countries moving their business to Colombia. It started with several large casinos opening up, and soon other countries followed. A few years ago it was hard to find a place to play, but now the locals and foreigners have an option. The casinos are selling out of some games. They are also fully booked all of the time.
For years Colombia has been seen as a country without a lot of gambling opportunities. With limited options and poor casino industry, it was not on many tourists’ list of places to visit. But now the country is going through a dramatic transformation. There are now several fully operational casinos in the country, with a very large casino being developed in the city of Cali. A casino with over 20,000 square meters of space, The Golden Paradise will be the most impressive casino built in Colombia to date.
Chile
Number 7
Opened: 2014
1m New Registration Unsold Units in Chile
Type of Slot Machine
Video Slots, Table Games, Digital
Where to Play
Casinos, Lotteries, E-Sports, Live Gaming, Online Gambling
The lowland areas of Chile are full of lakes and tropical forests, and the country’s largest city is Santiago. However, it is a long way away from most of the country’s casinos. There are only a few new casinos in the country, but they are all up and running with no vacancy. The government has invested a lot of money to upgrade the infrastructure in the country’s casinos.
There are plenty of big casinos in the Santiago region that are drawing customers. People who are looking for a weekend getaway are finding the casinos a great escape. Despite the promise of much more casinos opening up, in a country with such a small population and lack of gambling options, it is surprising that there is no gaming industry in Chile. The government seems to be doing everything it can to bring more casinos into the country, but it has been slow to do so.
Venezuela
Number 10
Opened: 2014
1m New Registration Unsold Units in Venezuela
Type of Slot Machine
Video Slots, Table Games, Digital
Where to Play
Casinos, Lotteries, E-Sports, Live Gaming, Online Gambling
Venezuela’s capital of Caracas is home to the largest casino in the country, El Paraiso Casino. The casino was built in 1998 when gambling was illegal in Venezuela. In 2013 the government reversed this ban and legalized gambling. Since then El Paraiso has become the largest casino in the country, with close to 40,000 square meters of gaming space.
The casino has added many more gaming tables since it was built. They are finding the demand in the country is much higher than it seems on paper. The entire country has only 3,000 slot machines, and a lot of people are making the effort to drive to Caracas just to play a few. Venezuela has a booming E-Sports scene, with many fans coming to the country to play these games. There are dozens of sports bars and internet cafes around the country that offer E-Sports tournaments. This is part of the reason people are traveling all the way to Caracas just to get a taste of the action.
Concluding Words:
There is no question that all these countries have serious gaming shortages. However, this isn’t the main reason why these countries are missing out. By far the biggest issue is that gaming licenses are hard to come by. The rules in these countries are quite different from the rest of the world. It is quite a bit easier to get a business license in many countries than it is to become a gaming operator in one.
In order to become a gaming operator in Brazil and Chile, you have to spend a lot of money and meet stringent requirements. In fact, many operators will not even consider doing business in a country unless they have been approved as gaming operators. Many of these countries are also extremely strict with who they allow operating a gaming business. They are often quite unfair and arbitrary when it comes to licensing.
In South Korea, for example, two men were being investigated by the South Korean government for operating a new casino illegally. They were under suspicion of trying to set up a casino in the country. The two men had helped build the casino and would be the ones running it. Despite being given the green light to do this, the South Korean government arrested the men, charged them, and kept them in custody for a month. These are the kind of cases that give operators in these countries nightmares.
