Macau is China’s sole city where casino gambling is legalized and the casino industry here thrives; competing with Las Vegas-style casino resorts. There are various reasons for Macau’s success in terms of gaming. First, its proximity to Hong Kong has created a large market of Asian gamblers who travel here for its bright lights, nightlife and casinos. Second, house edges in Macau are significantly lower than in the US. Macau offers some games not found elsewhere, like Chinese dai siu with dice. Furthermore, its government is keen on turning gambling into an integral tourism attraction in its country-state and must become Asia’s poker capital in order to achieve this objective.
To achieve this goal, the city-state must attract foreign tourists. One method to do this is through hosting major poker tournaments; such as the World Series of Poker (WSOP). Previous editions have proven this concept effective and could bring thousands of tourists from across the globe – or alternatively the city-state could host other major poker tournaments to attract international players.
Venetian Poker Room in Macau is one of the biggest sites, located on the second-floor casino and offering 10 cash tables – two reserved exclusively for VIPs – open 24*7 and offering both no-limit hold’em and pot-limit Omaha as well as occasional small and large buy-in tournaments.
Crystal Palace, owned by Winfred Yu and managed by Poker King Club, is another popular location for playing poker in Macau. Offering low-key gaming with some of the most affordable stakes around, it also plays host to Billionaire Poker Room that frequently holds tournaments of both small and large buy-in.
Most casinos in the city provide player cards for use during gambling sessions. You simply insert it into a slot machine or give it to the floorman before beginning play; the card tracks your betting and credits points that can later be redeemed for prizes. Unless you are an active gambler who spends a significant sum, however, real money should always be used at tables instead of player cards as many of their prizes require redeeming numerous points and don’t make sense for casual gamblers.
