In an effort to boost declining tourism and national revenue, many Asian countries are lifting long-standing bans against gambling and developing multi-million dollar luxury casino resorts.

With two such resorts opening their doors in Singapore in 2010, the country was the host of the Asian Casinos Symposium 2009.

Among the items discussed at the Asian casinos symposium included:

Asian Gaming Market Outlook
Venturing new frontiers and braving the economic slowdown in hope of opportunities and national development – economic development, job creation, boosting tourism, revenue generation.

Casino Regulatory Framework & Legislations in Asia
Educating stakeholders about licensing requirements and casino laws that are in place, through a detailed understanding of the regulatory framework and legislations of these newly liberalised Asian countries.

Casino IT Systems – Security & Safety Operations in Casinos
Analyse the security requirements of casino and hotel operators; discuss the advanced IT options available to maintain seamless communications and integration in casinos of the present and the future.

Casino & Hotel Recruitment: Human Capital Management & Training
Prevailing human capital issues and ways to ensure service excellence in Asian casino resorts through improved recruitment strategies and training solutions.

Non-gaming Revenue Generation Strategies
Industry leaders discuss the generation of non-gaming revenue through MICE, F&B, Retail, Entertainment, Hospitality and Business opportunities.

Here are the top 5 best restaurants in Seoul, as rated by Lonely Planet:

1. BSD Dubu House

At the top of the list of best restaurants in Seoul sits the BSD Dubu House, which you’ll love if you like your food spicy. This neat and clean basement restaurant serves up over 20 varieties of spicy sundubu (a hot and spicy Korean stew dish made with tofu, seafood, vegetables and topped with a raw egg), but the traditional beef one is hard to beat.

2. Dolkemaeul Tofu House

The number two on the best restaurants in Seoul list is also renowned for its excellent sundubu, which is cooked in a stone pot and served with hotpot rice, soup, fish and side dishes.

3. Pulhyanggi

At this mainly vegetarian restaurant, you have the option to sit on chairs or floor cushions. The popular attraction of this long-running, second-storey restaurant is the dozen or more items served up in the set meals. The restaurant offers traditional food such as sweet-and-sour mushrooms, sesame soup, acorn jelly, rice cakes and special teas.

4. Le Saint-Ex

The blackboard menu as well as the excellent food and service at this French bistro will easily tempt you into coming back for more. A heater and blankets are available on the outside patio for those dining on colder nights. The lunch set menus are excellent, and irresistible desserts are always on display.

5. Mad for Garlic

This Italian wine bistro is a favourite for those after a mellow atmosphere and for couples. The restaurant offers over 40 Italian dishes and a vast selection of wines and features a chic European-style interior complete with open kitchen so you can watch your food being cooked by the chefs.

Chinese casinos in Macau however are quite different to casinos in Las Vegas. As The Independent put it, “gamblers in the casinos of Macau do not drink cocktails like they do in Las Vegas, they drink tea. For these are serious punters, concentrating on the serious business of playing baccarat and blackjack in the world’s biggest gambling den.”

But not only do they differ in terms of clientele, Chinese casinos in Macau also differ from Las Vegas casinos in the revenue stakes, with Macau casinos surpassing Las Vegas casinos in terms of revenue and Macau staking its claim as the world’s new gambling capital.

Macau has played an influential role in relations between China and the West, especially between the late 16th and 19th centuries. And now, in the 21st century, Macau is at the beginning of a new and exciting chapter in its history thanks to its special status within China as the only region where gambling is legal.

To countless Asian casino fans, Macau has already made its name as Asia’s very own Las Vegas, a reputation which it has earned through its bright lights, nightlife, bars, and, of course, casinos.

Some of the most popular Chinese casinos in Macau are: Casino Lisboa, Venetian Macau, Wynn Macau, Galaxy Rio Casino, and the Sands Casino. Baccarat is the most popular game in Chinese casinos in Macau.

Cambodia has made its mark as a major gambling centre. Cambodia city and the casinos within it are primarily located in the Popeit casino enclave which lies on the western edge of the Cambodian border town of Popeit.

The area where Cambodia city and the casinos lie in Popeit is just a few hundred metres wide and lies between the official Cambodian border crossing and the actual border with Thailand, which makes for the perfect setting for the predominately Thai gamblers and the casino owners.

Casino gambling is banned in Thailand, so placing casinos before the Cambodian border checkpoint allows Thai gamblers to leave Thailand without officially entering Cambodia, which means less hassle with visas.

Popeit, which is about four hours’ drive from Bangkok, has become the biggest gambling centre in Asia after Macau in southern China. Combined revenue from the casinos in Popeit amounts to between 300 million baht and 500 million baht ($7.5 million-12.5 million).

Cambodia city and the casinos in Popeit feature blackjack, baccarat, roulette and slot machines, as well as private VIP rooms where the big bets are made.

One of the latest additions to Cambodia city and the casinos within it is the new luxury Titan King Casino.

The luxury, US$100 million casino opened in 2010 in the hope of attracting more foreign tourists and promoting Cambodia’s fast-growing entertainment industry, casino owners said.

The Titan King Casino, located along the Vietnam border in the town of Bavet, is one of the latest of several casinos that have sprung up along the country’s borders with Vietnam and Thailand, attracting thousands of gamblers.

In a message posted on the Titan King Casino’s website, owner Kith Thieng said the town of Bavet was fast becoming an entertainment centre “much like Las Vegas and Macau.” Bavet is 68 miles (110 kilometres) southeast of the Cambodian capital Phnom Penh.

There’s also public sports betting, lottery and toto (Japan’s version of European football pools), which are held under special laws.

Panchiko is another exception to Japan’s illegal gambling rule. Pachinko is a pinball-like slot machine game, and it is officially not considered gambling because Japanese laws regard pachinko as an exception to the criminal code based on historical, monetary, and cultural reasons.

But while play in Japanese casinos is banned, that doesn’t mean the Japanese aren’t keen gamblers.

Current Tokyo governor Shintaro Ishihara has been pushing for play in Japanese casinos to be legalised.

In 2000, he proposed building casinos in Odaiba (a large artificial island in Tokyo Bay), but despite high public interest in the proposal, it wasn’t officially approved. One of the arguments against the proposal was that the Japanese – being unfamiliar with gambling – would be too prone to addiction. Another possibility for the development of the casino industry in Japan is the establishment of floating casinos. The possibility of boat gambling is also actively supported by Ishihara.

“Tokyo is the only major city without a casino,” Ishihara once said in a meeting with ruling party politicians. “I’ll do anything to earn money.”

So perhaps one day in the not too distant future, you will actually be able to play in Japanese casinos.

The Robuchon á Galera is owned by world-renowned chef Joel Robuchon and was awarded a coveted three stars by the Michelin Guide in 2008. The restaurant serves European cuisine such as roasted guinea fowl and foie gras.
Live cabaret performances are another star attraction of the Casino Lisboa in Macau. The Crazy Paris Show has been running at the Casino Lisboa in Macau for 27 years and is performed by a selection of Europe’s finest dancers. The special dance shows feature the French Can Can, India Dance, Pole Dancing and the Sway, which are performed daily.
The iconic Casino Lisboa in Macau, with its imposing architectural design and 24-hour entertainment, has certainly earned its reputation as one of Asia’s finest casinos.

Macau’s first multiplex cinema opened in December last year as part of the recently-opened Galaxy Macau casino resort.

The nine-screen UA Galaxy Cinemas complex was built through a combined effort from Lark International Holdings Ltd, which operates Hong Kong’s UA Cinemas, and Hong Kong stock market-listed Galaxy Entertainment Group.

The UA Galaxy Cinemas houses nine 3D-capable screens and over 1,000 seats, and occupies over 16,000 square feet.

However, the Galaxy Macau IMAX theatre is undoubtedly the showstopper of the region’s cinematic offerings.

The Galaxy Macau IMAX theatre offers the most immersive cinematic experience in the region. With breathtaking images projected on an enormous screen and exhilarating sound provided by a powerful digital sound system, the Galaxy Macau IMAX theatre quite simply blows audiences away.

The UA Galaxy Cinemas and Galaxy Macau IMAX theatre come as a breath of fresh air for locals as unlike its Hong Kong neighbours, Macau previously lacked modern cinema facilities. It simply had a handful of older cinemas: Cineteatro Macau, Macau Cultural Center Cinema, Macau Wing Lok Cinema and Macau Tower Cinema, a modern single-screen cinema located within the Macau Tower tourist site.

Construction on the US$2 billion Galaxy Macau began back in 2002, and after its opening had been rescheduled several times, it was finally officially opened in May 2011.

When avid gamblers think of an Asian gambling mecca, there is only one place that springs to mind immediately – Macau.

And it’s no wonder why that is the case. Macau is still going strong as not only Asia’s, but the world’s gambling capital, with gambling revenue exceeding that of the famous Las Vegas Strip.

Gambling revenue in Macau rose by 25 per cent last month, capping off a year in which revenue in the Asian gambling mecca soared by 42 per cent.

Casino operators in Macau are seeing massive profits from highly lucrative VIP visits, which account for nearly 75 per cent of all gambling revenue in the region.

Gambling in Macau has been legal since the 1850s when the Portuguese government legalised gambling in the colony. Since then, Macau has become known as the “Monte Carlo of the Orient”.

It is clear then why gambling tourism is Macau’s biggest source of revenue, accounting for about 50 per cent of its economy.

The Asian gambling mecca has 33 casinos, with the biggest being The Venetian Macau. Twenty-three of those casinos are located on the Macau Peninsula and 10 on Taipa Island.

Other notable Macau casinos are the Casino Lisboa, the Sands Macao, MGM Grand Macau and the Wynn Macau.

Macau casinos are renowned for their extravagance, luxury, expansive size and wide array of gambling options on offer. The Asian gambling mecca has become the destination of choice for keen gamblers around the world to indulge in their favourite pastime.

Hotels, casinos and resorts are a winning combination, as is evident from the vast selection of Asian integrated resorts springing up across the region.

Macau is undoubtedly the hub for Asian hotels, casinos and resorts.

The 3.1-square kilometre Cotai Strip houses some of the largest casinos in the world, such as The Venetian Macau, which boasts an incredible 550,000sq ft gaming floor, 3,400 slot machines and 800 gaming tables.

But although Singapore has only issued two casino licences thus far, the small nation has already impressed greatly in the Asian hotels, casinos and resorts category.

Singapore’s Marina Bay Sands is the world’s most expensive standalone casino property, costing a colossal S$8 billion to build.

The expansive resort features a 2,561-room hotel, a 1,300,000-square-foot (120,000 m²) convention-exhibition centre, an 800,000-square-foot (74,000 m²) shopping mall, an iconic ArtScience museum, two large theatres, seven celebrity chef restaurants, two floating Crystal Pavilions, an ice skating rink, and the world’s largest atrium casino with 500 tables and 1,600 slot machines.

The S$6.59 billion Resorts World Sentosa sits on Singapore’s island resort of Sentosa. It boasts a Universal Studios theme park and Marine Life Park, which includes the world’s largest oceanarium.

So, if you’re looking for Asian hotels, casinos, or resorts, why go on a wild goose chase of separate venues when you can wrap up your accommodation and entertainment needs in one integrated resort? That will leave you more time for enjoying magnificent Asia.

The Chinese love gambling, but under government legislation, Hong Kong casinos are prevented from operating.

Still, there are ways for locals who enjoy gambling to get around the ban.

Although there are no officially regulated Hong Kong casinos, locals can make a short hydrofoil trip to nearby Macau, the world’s latest gambling capital, which is less than an hour from Hong Kong.

There, they can gamble to their heart’s content at one of Macau’s many outstanding establishments. Gambling is Macau’s main attraction for tourists visiting from Hong Kong and other parts of China. The legal minimum age for gambling in Macau is 21 for locals and 18 for foreigners, and passports are required for the journey from Hong Kong.

Another way to get past the ban on Hong Kong casinos is offshore gambling, which allows tourists to Hong Kong the opportunity to gamble onboard specially-appointed cruise ships and boats in international waters off the coast of Hong Kong.

And, as well as the opportunity to indulge in one of China’s favourite pastimes, these onboard casinos also offer the opportunity to enjoy spectacular views of the picturesque Victoria Harbour.

So, while Hong Kong casinos may be yet to be legalised, it doesn’t stop locals or foreigners alike from enjoying the nearby alternative gambling options on offer.