Original or copy? Which gambling metropolis can do more? Las Vegas or Macau? From bathing suits in the casino to diamonds in plastic bags. If you do not want to travel that far, you can easily access 22Bet from home.
If there were a World Championship for copying, the People’s Republic of China would have been the undisputed champion for decades. Cars, technology, fashion… why not entire casino hotels? This has been implemented in Macau. Since 1962, the Chinese Special Administrative Region has been trying to compete with what is arguably the world’s most sinful city: Vegas, baby! However, success has been limited. I visited both the original and the copy. Here’s what I experienced.
Las Vegas vs. Macau – Ultimate Comparison of the Sin Cities
Las Vegas, MGM Grand, 5:46 PM, 37 degrees Celsius outside – despite jet lag and a hangover, I strive for a spot at the overcrowded roulette table. At the last second, I grab a Jack and Coke from the tray of a passing waitress. Yes, it’s true: in Vegas, the “all-you-can-drink” rule applies as long as you have playing cards, chips, or a slot machine lever in hand. It’s no wonder the Strip gets longer and wider each year. The more you drink, the bolder you play. You’re going to lose your money here – one way or another.
After my third round without a win, a teenager in swim trunks joins me and looks over my shoulder. This kid has probably just been spit out by the hotel pool, or he’s lost his parents.
What is unthinkable for us is common in Vegas. Since the casino area is usually located in the hotel lobby, entire family vacationers walk past the gaming tables and slot machine halls on their way from the pool to the burger stand. What irony: while the rest of the country preaches Christian values, here the positive influence on children is trampled underfoot – hundreds of intoxicated adults gambling and smoking. Yes, smoking is allowed everywhere. In California, hefty fines await for smoking on the street, but in Vegas, they just hand you ashtrays – a two-hour drive away: “It’s the law!”
Macau – Money Doesn’t Matter Here
Macau, Christmas Eve, a perceived 17 degrees Celsius inside – either the extremely high air conditioning or my empty stomach makes my hands shake from the cold. Not a good impression in front of the group of mainland Chinese who are staring deeply into my eyes. I’m probably the only one at the table who “enjoyed” the bumpy speedboat transfer from Hong Kong to Macau while hungry – and doesn’t speak Chinese. But that doesn’t matter; only one language is spoken here: poker!
However, my Austrian savings account mentality keeps me from staying at the table any longer – the cash game buy-ins are simply too high. I should have known this, considering my shopping spree on Nathan Road in Hong Kong yesterday. When so-called “Mainland” Chinese travel to Hong Kong (if allowed), it’s usually for one purpose: buy, buy, buy! Money obviously doesn’t matter for the masses of the newly wealthy.
Diamonds in a Plastic Bag
I’ve never seen someone filling high-quality diamonds into a pink plastic bag at the jewelry counter – and paying for it. But I did in Hong Kong – right next to me. The mysterious customer’s outfit: a white Adidas tracksuit. Accordingly, the gaming behavior in Macau reflects this: since gambling is heavily illegal in the rest of China, thousands of Chinese go to Macau daily to blow off steam.
Business Instead of Party
The amounts in the tables are unfathomable, and the Chinese are highly focused. The guys aren’t here for fun. Professional gamblers certainly appreciate this – there’s less cheering and groaning than in Vegas. It’s less about partying and more about “business.”
Anyone who has had the opportunity to observe the behavior of Asian roulette players at the Casino Vienna on Kärntner Straße, bouncing from table to table to place kilograms of chips, can get an idea of what’s going on here. They play as if there’s no tomorrow… or no speedboat back.