China wants Macau to break its gambling addiction
Officials are trying to stop the mainland’s high rollers from visiting
STAKES IN PUNTO BANCO, a popular version of the card game baccarat, have often risen to well over $100,000 in Macau’s VIP suites. The high-rollers have usually come from the Chinese mainland. Even before flying into the gambling haven they would commonly agree to bet upwards of $1m during their stays. Those who have arrived short of cash because of the mainland’s strict capital controls have easily found lenders of Macanese patacas.
This article appeared in the China section of the print edition under the headline “No dice for vice”
From the December 11th 2021 edition
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