: 8–9 The STDM introduced Western-style games and modernised the marine transport between Macau and Hong Kong, bringing millions of gamblers from Hong Kong every year. The industry saw a major breakthrough in 1962 when the government granted the monopoly rights to all forms of gambling to Sociedade de Turismo e Diversões de Macau (STDM), run by Stanley Ho. The company was, however, too conservative to fully exploit the economic potential of gambling. The second casino monopoly concession was granted to the Tai Heng Company in 1937. It is reported that over 200 gambling houses were required to pay gambling rent to the government. In the late 19th century, the government introduced a licensing system for the fantan houses (Chinese gambling houses). In an attempt to generate revenues for the government, gambling in Macau was legalized by the Portuguese government in 1849. Macau is the pre-eminent gambling capital of the world, grossing the highest amount of gambling/gaming revenue and greatly dwarfing all the other gambling centers/cities.

Macau, a special administrative region like Hong Kong, is the only place in China where casinos are legal, and the business has grown at an astounding pace since 2001, when the government ended the four-decade gambling monopoly of the Hong Kong billionaire Stanley Ho. At the present time, Macau does not license online gambling operations. Generally, gambling in Macau can be divided into one of four categories: casino games, greyhound racing, sports betting, and lotteries. Until Western-style casino games were introduced in the 20th century, only Chinese games were played, the most popular being Fan-Tan.

With the entry of large foreign casinos from Las Vegas and Australia, Macau overtook the Las Vegas Strip in gambling revenues in 2007. Visitors are largely from mainland China and Hong Kong. Gambling tourism is Macau's biggest source of revenue, making up about 50% of the economy.

It is the only place in China where casino gambling is legal. Since then, Macau has become known worldwide as the 'Gambling capital of the world'. Gambling in Macau has been legal since the 1850s when the Portuguese government legalised the activity in the autonomous colony.

Are the gambling casinos open today