The Chinese love of gambling is well known; yet what is less well-known is that there are few casinos operating anywhere in China, including Hong Kong. The government of China has a somewhat negative attitude towards casinos, and gambling more generally, and discourages it wherever possible. Therefore, Hong Kong casinos get around this official prohibition in a number of ingenious ways.
Although there are no officially sanctioned Hong Kong casinos, gambling in Hong Kong is actually remarkably easy. The most obvious method of gambling is to go to nearby Macao; the former Portuguese enclave is only a short hydrofoil ride away, less than an hour from Hong Kong. In Macao, gambling is not only permitted, but it is the prime attraction for tourists visiting from Hong Kong and elsewhere. There is an official age limit of 21, and passports are required for the journey, but otherwise, Hong Kong gamblers will find the trip to Macao more than worthwhile – always provided they win, of course!
There are a large number of casinos in Macao that cater to every type of gambler, whether they are playing for high stakes or low, and however dressed. China is well aware that...