Being the only region is China where gambling is legal, Macau has become the world’s leading gambling destination and sure bet for casino operators. A nearby market is expanding, as casino boats in waters off the Hong Kong coast benefit from the growth of mass-market tourism in China.
Providing a cheaper alternative to Macau, where hotels run at close to full-capacity and have ramped up prices to an average US$ 145 per night, visitors on the eight casino boats that leave Hong Kong each night rose 9-percent to 615,328 in the first half of 2013. The popularity of casino boats is growing and attract Chinese tourists that often frequent Macau for the sole purpose of gambling.