Skip to content
MobileCasinoParty Logo
Trusted Casinos
Honest Reviews
Latest Bonuses
MobileCasinoParty Logo
  • USA Online Casinos
  • Online Slots
    • How to Play Slots
    • How to Win Slots
    • Free Slots
  • Reviews
  • Gambling by State
  • Casino Games
    • Online Blackjack
      • How to Play Blackjack
      • Blackjack Strategy
    • Online Roulette
    • Online Poker
    • Online Bingo
    • Online Baccarat
    • Online Craps
    • Online Keno
  • Resources
    • No Deposit Bonus
    • Welcome Bonus
    • Free Table Games
    • Live Dealer
    • New Casinos
    • Blacklisted Casinos
    • Banking
    • Casino Terminology
  • Blog / News
    • News
    • Blog
Menu
  • USA Online Casinos
  • Online Slots
    • How to Play Slots
    • How to Win Slots
    • Free Slots
  • Reviews
  • Gambling by State
  • Casino Games
    • Online Blackjack
      • How to Play Blackjack
      • Blackjack Strategy
    • Online Roulette
    • Online Poker
    • Online Bingo
    • Online Baccarat
    • Online Craps
    • Online Keno
  • Resources
    • No Deposit Bonus
    • Welcome Bonus
    • Free Table Games
    • Live Dealer
    • New Casinos
    • Blacklisted Casinos
    • Banking
    • Casino Terminology
  • Blog / News
    • News
    • Blog
Search
Close
Home » Articles About Gaming » What’s the Status of Casino Gambling in Asia in 2020?
Asian Gambling Scene

What’s the Status of Casino Gambling in Asia in 2020?

  • Zarko Naric
  • MCP Staff - Chief Editor
  • Posted on: September 29, 2020

There are nearly 4.463 billion people living in Asia in 2020, which accounts for more than half of the world’s population. With so many people calling it home, this continent seems like fertile ground for literally every type of business, including casino gaming. However, in reality, casinos in Asia are not so common, with a majority of Asian countries keeping gambling illegal. In fact, each of the five most populous countries in Asia has some laws that restrict casino gambling.

Still, the revenue made by Asian casinos is much higher than what casinos make in the western world. How can this be possible, you might wonder? The answer lies in the fact that there are some gambling hubs around the continent that bring billions of dollars’ worth of profit to the casino industry. The best example of this is Macau, with a gambling revenue that’s almost four times the revenue generated by Las Vegas casinos.

Macau – The Gambling Capital of Asia

Although all forms of gambling remain illegal in Mainland China, there’s one place where Chinese casino fans can go to gamble. It’s Macau, a resort city situated in Southeastern China. Although technically a part of China, Macau is actually a special administrative region with its own laws and regulations. One of the laws that makes it different from the rest of China is the one about the legality of gambling. In Macau, not only is gambling legal, but gambling is the no.1 source of income,

The gambling revenue of the region was nearly $40 billion last year, the highest figure in the world. In comparison, the gambling revenue made by Las Vegas casinos is somewhere in the ballpark of $8 billion. An interesting fact is that a big majority of casino patrons in Macau are people from mainland China. About 68% of all the visitors in 2019 were China residents. In 2020, the situation is even more extreme due to the COVID-19 pandemic, which made the Macau government shut its borders to foreigners.

Singapore Casinos Come In #2

When it comes to gambling revenue figures in Asia, Singapore is in second place with an estimated $7 billion a year. The state runs its own lottery as well as provides platforms for online lottery and sports betting. Still, most of Singapore’s gambling revenue comes from the only two commercial casinos in the country – Marina Bay Sands and Resorts World Sentosa.

A fun fact about these two establishments is that both of them belong to the top 10 list of the most expensive buildings in the world. Marina Bay Sands is in #6, with the total construction cost estimated to be over $6.33 billion. Resorts World Sentosa is the world’s eight most expensive building, whose construction cost $5.68 billion. Another fun fact about these two casinos is that they both opened in 2010.

Gambling “Not a Sin” in the Philippines

As one Philippine official put it, “gambling is not a sin,” asserting that even priests and nuns do it in the Philippines. And they’ve been doing it since as early as the 1500s, which makes the Philippines a traditionally gambling-friendly place. Practically all forms of gambling are legal in this country, from casino gaming to cock-fighting betting.

Even online casino games are not banned in this country. The same is not the case with a majority of other Asian countries, including the ones we’ve previously discussed.

Hectic Situation in India’s Gambling Laws

There are 29 states in India, together with seven union territories. Each of these has the right to pass the gambling laws on its own. The result is that some parts of India are friendly toward gambling, while some states will put you in jail if you try to gamble. In some parts of the country, illicit gambling can result in a prison sentence of up to three months.

At the moment of writing, there are three areas in India where it’s possible to gamble in land-based casinos. Those are, namely, the state of Sikkim in northeast India, Goa on the southwestern coast of India, and the union territory of Daman.

Other Gambling-Friendly Parts of Asia

In other parts of Asia, gambling is either completely illegal or heavily regulated. The states that belong to the latter category, usually keep gambling activities confined to a specific area far away from large population centers. Furthermore, some countries like South Korea, for example, allow land-based casinos to operate but only if they can ensure no Korean nationals are allowed to gamble.

Some other countries like Vietnam, for instance, only allow those gambling activities that are controlled by the state, e.g., state lottery. Over in Japan, in addition to prefecture/city-organized lottery games, it’s also legal to play a slot-like game of pachinko, which is not seen as a gambling activity in the eyes of the law.

In the Middle East, gambling is banned in all predominately Muslim countries, the reason being that gambling is prohibited in Islam. Those include the UAE (United Arab Emirates), Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, and others. The only notable exception is Turkey, where casinos and online gambling remain illegal, but some forms of state-run lottery games are legal.

PrevLas Vegas to Get a New Downtown Casino for the First Time in 40 Years
Online Poker Sites Declare War on ScammersNext

Related Posts

Gambling Hotspots
12th October 2020

10 Popular Land-Based Casino Hotspot Cities

Read more
Asian Gambling Scene
29th September 2020

What’s the Status of Casino Gambling in Asia in 2020?

Read more
20th September 2020

Most Popular Sports To Bet On

Read more
Blackjack Strategy
17th September 2020

Top Blackjack Strategies

Read more

Top Casinos

Slotocash Casino Logo

Sloto Cash Casino

Thank you!
Expert Review

400% Up To

$4000 Claim Bonus
El Royale Casino Logo

El Royale Casino

Thank you!
Expert Review

70 Free Spins + 250% Up To

$12500 Claim Bonus
Red Dog Casino Logo

Red Dog Casino

Thank you!
Expert Review

300% Up To

$6000 Claim Bonus

Top No Deposit Bonus

El Royale Casino Thumbnail
23rd March 2020

$50 Free Chip from El Royale Casino

Read more
Captain Jack Casino Thumbnail
03rd August 2016

$100 Captain Jack Casino No Deposit Bonus – Updated 2021

Read more
silveroak casino logo wide
18th September 2014

New $225 Free Chip at Silver Oak Casino – Updated 2021

Read more
ruby slots casino
30th January 2015

$50 Bonus + 10 Free Spins at Ruby Slots

Read more

Recent Posts

22nd January 2021

Construction of High-Speed Los Angeles to Las Vegas Rail Starts in Spring

Read more
15th January 2021

Sands-Crown Deal in Question Following Death of Sheldon Adelson

Read more
08th January 2021

IGT Patents Bitcoin Slot Machines

Read more

Top Pages

  • USA Real Money Casinos
  • Online Slots Real Money
  • Free Online Slots
  • No Deposit Bonus Codes
  • Casino Games
  • Search by US State

How To Increase Your Bankroll Without Having To Spend A Fortune

We will send you the latest bonuses, new casino launches, and exclusive promotions.

    *We respect your privacy, so if at any point you want to unsubscribe, don’t worry!

    MobileCasinoParty Logo

    Copyright © 2022 – MobileCasinoParty.com

    • About/Contact Us
    • How We Review
    • Banking
    • Editorial Guidelines
    • Sitemap

    MobileCasinoParty.com is a trusted authority on online gaming casino sites.  Online gambling is illegal in certain jurisdictions, therefore it is your own responsibility to ensure that all age and other relevant requirements are adhered to before registering with a casino operator. By using this website you agree to our terms and conditions and privacy policy.

    REVIEWS

    • El Royale
    • Royal Ace
    • BoVegas
    • Uptown Aces
    • SlotoCash

    LATEST

    • News
    • Blog
    • Casino Games
    • No Deposit Bonus

    GAME GUIDES

    • Slots
    • Blackjack
    • Roulette
    • Poker
    • Bingo

    FIND MORE

    • Casino Reviews
    • Free Slots
    • Online Casinos USA
    • Search by US State

    YOU ARE SAFE WITH US

    • Privacy Policy
    • Responsible Gambling
    • Blacklisted Casinos
    • begambleaware Logo
    • 18+ Logo
    • GameCare Logo
    • DMCA.com Protection Status
    Facebook Icon Twitter Icon Icon Youtube Circle Pinterest Icon

    Report A Casino & Help Other Players

    cactus and hand

    In addition to our own reviews, we also rely on the feedback and input of players experiences with below average casinos. If you feel that there are any online casino sites which deserve to be named and shamed on our blacklist, do not hesitate to let us know so we can look into it further.




      What are the issue you've experienced?*

      Payment ProblemFalse AdvertisingEmail SpammingCustomer SupportOther