Macau has been ranked the top gambling destination by Online Betting Guide (OLBG), three places ahead of Asian rival Singapore.
According to OLBG’s Global Casino Index, a compilation of casino destination rankings, Macau topped the league table with a score of 9.32.
It was followed by Philadelphia and Las Vegas in the United States, which completed the top three with scores of 7.24 and 7.2 respectively.
According to OLBG, searches for local casinos have increased by almost 50 percent worldwide over the past year.
Annual casino searches for Macau totalled 363,700, while Philadelphia and Las Vegas recorded 151,100 and 2,747,000 respectively.
Two other rivals, Singapore and Manila, ranked 4th and 6th respectively with scores of 6.84 and 6.68.
The study used the World Casino Directory, AirDNA and Google Keyword Planner to examine various aspects of different cities.
It examines the cities with the highest number of casinos per capita, the widest range of restaurant options per venue, the largest number of table games per venue, the cities with the most affordable accommodation and the cities most frequently associated with annual casino searches.
In 2023, Macau generated MOP183 billion (US$22.75 billion) in gross gaming revenue, while in 2019, before the pandemic hit the city, the figure was around MOP292 billion.
By comparison, the United States generated a record US$66.5 billion in commercial gaming revenue last year.