GAMING

Asian casino hotels unplugged, a high roller guide, sea to sky

There’s something for everyone at these rambunctious gambling hideaways. Pick from hardcore gaming, or smooth family friendly hotels with conference facilities, beachside to mountaintop. If you like, you can even bet on the rain!

by Staff Reporters
updated Jan 2026, with original reporting by Philippa Young

SEE ALSO Small meetings in Asia | Macau guide | Singapore business hotels | What hotel guests steal | Child friendly resorts | Asian cruises | Asian dives | Asian resort weddings | Trabs-Siberian Railway | Manila casino hotels | New Singapore eco-friendly hotels

Slots at the huge MGM COTAI (left) in Macau's neon-and-bling gaming strip; and its vast glass dome atrium (centre) with video walls and other installations; Londoner Macau's stately casino (right) /photos: Vijay Verghese

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NUWA City of Dreams Manila, a cut above the rest/ photo: Vijay Verghese

GAMBLING-MAD ASIANS — usually at the centre of any betting ruckus — can be surprisingly coy on the subject of casinos and gaming. China has a tough anti-gaming line. Yet its travelling tourists are the biggest high rollers anywhere, eagerly welcomed from Macau to Vegas. Casinos ring no bells for Japan or Hong Kong, but scratch beneath the surface and there’s a pair of hungry tigers’ eyes staring back. Moral holdouts in Asia produce one of two things: casinos in sheep’s clothing or an all-out gambler diaspora.

In Hong Kong the punters head to the horse races every Wednesday and Saturday. Or they tick off numbers in the weekly Mark Six lottery. Hard core gamblers not being chased by tattooed men with choppers might opt for less taxing blue-rinse cruises on the high seas where one-armed bandits clang merrily all night in unrestricted international waters. In Japan, inoffensive distraction is provided by the mad and inventive Pachinko. The game, a mixture of pinball and slot machines, pays out in cute toys or household goods, not hard cash. Naughtily though, the toys are often exchanged for cash at shops next to the game parlours.

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Capitalising on the mainland’s thirst for games of chance, unfettered Macau teeters with neon promise. It’s hard to keep a good chip down. And everyone, it seems, is cashing in. The government has lent a hand to steer some of the super profits into projects that benefit the local community and non-gaming initiatives — this has made the city's hotels some of the finest anywhere not just for gambling, but for family getaways and mega-events.

The MGM MACAU courtyard is a veritable dreamscape packed with art/ photo: Vijay Verghese

Singapore casinos have made a remarkable entry with Resorts World up and running by mid-February 2010, and in South Korea, gaming is welcome, but locals will have to entertain their wallets elsewhere. These are foreigner-only establishments. From Vietnam to India, publicly at least, such cultural “pollution” is kept out of the local community at all costs.

Governments may be hostile, or discretely permissive, but there’s one more thing Asian casino hotels need to get right – feng shui. This is no small beer. And while casinos are no strangers to lawsuits, cases of feng shui blackmail can spiral into mindboggling figures.

The angle of a chair or the colour of a towel can become a portent of bad luck and million dollar losing streaks. So if you’re swayed by feng shui, book a sea view, make space for dragons, use side entrances and, whatever you do, don’t walk under a red lantern…

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Macau casino hotels and the Cotai Strip

Our review of the best Asian casino hotels starts in China’s tiny enclave of Macau, a Special Administrative Region that enjoys extended freedoms, including the ability to host casinos (many of these tasked with community uplift efforts and the creation of family entertainment hubs). One of the most densely populated places on the planet, Macau enjoys relatively easy access to Asian cities, directly, or via its neighbour Hong Kong. This is the land of the “whales” (high stake gamblers) where gaming revenue has overtaken Las Vegas and Atlantic City combined. And the juiciest live bait dangling from Macao’s line? The reclaimed land known as the Cotai Strip.

The Parisian Macao with its Eiffel Tower/ photo: Vijay Verghese

The City of Dreams (www.cityofdreamsmacau.com) became a talking point following its 2009 opening with its lavish 'House of Dancing Water' show. The City of Dreams IR (Integrated Resort) is an ever-expanding composite of hotels, all connected by reams of designer brand shops, restaurants and bars. Here, find the futuristic uber-chic Morpheus with its unique exoskeleton design, Nuwa Macau, and the twin-towered Grand Hyatt Macau. A flowing water theme links the hotels that rise up from a humongous casino base. After you’ve finished gawping at the giant screen and waterfall cascading over it, step inside the whopping 420,000sq ft casino. Over 520 gaming tables and 1,350 gaming machines offer every game you can think of.

Flexing new muscle along the Cotai strip is Studio City Macau (studiocity-macau.com), which mid-2015 brought an immense 500,000sq ft casino and gaming space along with Studio City Hotel (aimed at the luxury market), and Golden Eye (the highest ferris wheel in the world at 130m above the ground). The hotel features two modern blocks — the Celebrity Tower and Star Tower with 800 rooms in each. There is conference and MICE space for up to 6,000 persons. Look out for Batman. Everything's possible here.

Part of the same family, at the top of Taipa Island is the impressive but understated Altira Macau (www.altiramacau.com). This stylish and contemporary 38-storey casino-hotel offers distinct experiences for its guests by creating separate entrances for gamers, residents and diners.

The hustle and bustle from the 200-plus high-end gaming tables is confined to the casino resulting in a serene hotel atmosphere complemented by low lighting, endless vases of vivid red roses and floaty music.

Grand Lisboa Palace Resort Macau is a faux-Euro confection/ photo: hotel

In Macau, slot players win if they line up lucky eights, not sevens, and certainly not fours, which are akin to the Chinese word for death. You’ll find craps and poker tables but baccarat dominates. The tea terrace is as important here as any bar, and the tea master can dispense traditional medicinal herbs, keeping gamers in top form. Defibrillators are installed like fire extinguishers at the behest of over-worked local hospitals. Heart attacks will be speedily dealt with. Let nothing stand in the way of a good roll of the dice.

The Venetian Macao (www.venetianmacao.com) holds the ongoing title for brass and bombast on the Cotai Strip. A concept flown in from Las Vegas, The Venetian Macao has the famous gondola canals and, for a taste of Asia, a Chinese sampan or two. The 546,000sq ft gaming floor boasts just a few thousand slot machines and over 700 tables. Four Seasons Hotel Macao, Cotai Strip (www.fourseasons.com/macau/), a more sedate affair, is connected to the Venetian and the casino by a luxury shopping mall. Next door is The Parisian Macao (www.parisianmacao.com) — with its Eiffel Tower, vast gaming facilities including high end casino areas, a vast theatre seating 1,200 and the obligatory cutely-spelled Shoppes at Parisian.

Stanley’s Ho, Macau’s aging gambling magnate, lost his monopoly with the 2002 liberalisation. Ho’s original Hotel Lisboa and Casino Lisboa (www.hotelisboa.com) make Macau’s longest-standing perfect pair – perfect for a whiff of old-world nostalgia, albeit with a serious fetish for gold leaf. Built in the 1960s, the three-storey casino complex looks tired and dated in the cold stare of day despite decent touch-ups, but sparkles enticingly when night comes on.

Venetian Macao Grand Canal/ photo: Vijay Verghese

European roulette, craps, baccarat and the ever-present slots all feature in vast abundance, as does a colourful cast of suited “business women” strolling purposefully around the basement. This scene has calmed in recent years. The casino’s cabaret coupled with a 1,000-room hotel, once set the benchmark for high camp and a touch of mischief. It has been overtaken by newcomers but presents historic yellow-wash grunge, porcelain tiling and tacky bling.

Newer sibling Grand Lisboa Macau (www.grandlisboa.com) is a lotus-flower-shaped monolith of gold reflective glass. This rather impressive piece of structural engineering, gaudy costume jewellery by day, transforms into crown jewels by night. Under a starless night sky the casino resembles a giant psychedelic flashing globe with petals. It offers hundreds of gaming tables and more slot machines than you can shake a stick at. The hotel has 430 rooms of unrestrained opulence, a spa, Michelin-rated restaurants — including excellent Chinese at crimson The Eight — and conferencing facilities. Across at Cotai is the vast and newer faux-European playground of the Grand Lisboa Palace Resort Macau (www.grandlisboapalace.com/en).

Galaxy Macau pool at Raffles (left); one of MGM Macau's signature lions that make for an Instagrammable background; and mirroring England at The Londoner Macao (right) with its miniature Big Ben/ photos: Vijay Verghese

Next door, the Wynn Macau (www.wynnmacau.com), the first foreign competitor to Lisboa, has its own tradition. Players head straight to the Louis Vuitton store where a rumour, happily propagated by Wynn, has it that the roomier your handbag, the better your chances to win big.

Wynn Macau remains a popular upscale casino hotel choice/ photo: Vijay Verghese

Give it a go and you could walk out in style, your bag bulging with cash winnings. Lose and you can jam it full of miniature shampoos instead. The designer outlet is at times the most profitable store, per square foot of retail space, in handbag-mad Asia.

Walk on to the 10,000sq ft of gaming tables and one-armed bandits, and gawp up at an 11-metre “Tree of Prosperity” at the centre of the casino’s atrium. The 200,000sq ft Wynn casino is laid out in intimate pockets with rich drapery creating a sense of privacy and seclusion.

With a constantly evolving interior, Wynn’s 600 rooms are kept as fresh and lively as its staff. On Cotai is its newer luxury iteration, the Wynn Palace Cotai with over 1,000 slot machines and 350 gaming tables mainly focusing on Baccarat.

Not far up from Wynn, fronting the breezy reclaimed NAPE peninsula and neighbouring the Mandarin Oriental, is the lavish standout MGM MACAU (mgm-macau). It cuts a fine figure on the waterfront with its reflective jewel-box wave design. A huge draw here are the art pieces (some by Dali) and an immense light-filled courtyard with more displays, a strong sense of Portugal, and the excellent Poly MGM Museum that offers unique insights into the enclave's history.

Designer hand-painted signature MGM lions are everywhere, offering interesting selfie oportunities. Influencers of all stripes flock here. Filling any gaps in Macau’s casino-hungry belly are almost 400 table games and acres of the latest slot machines.

Stunning MGM MACAU art: Dali, right in the lobby/ photo: Vijay Verghese

Baccarat remains the game of choice amongst some patrons, but you won’t be short of choice. VIP zones cater for high rollers with no expense spared on style, luxury and service. The MGM PR machine regularly churns out lucky draw campaigns to win high-end prizes. The hotel is linked to One Central Macau, a swish modern shopping area. Definitely one for your diary.

And on Cotai's casino-mad strip across the causeway, is sister hotel, the huge gaming and and conferencing MGM COTAI (mgm-cotai). Expect the lively lions, top Michellin-rated F&B, and massive state-of-the-art entertainment theatres hosting world-class shows. This is a spot welcoming of families too with much to distract around the vast geodesic dome called The Spectrum through which light streams as video walls throw up fantastic creations of landscape and whimsy. This is practically a mini-destination on its own with space for all stripes.

Close by MGM MACAU, the lobby of the 39-storey, 500-room StarWorld Hotel & Casino (www.starworldmacau.com) is all giant chandeliers, marble, and fluorescent escalators. Along with panoramic views of downtown Macau, the hotel has an infinity pool, gymnasium, and vast conference facilities, while the casino boasts over 200 gaming tables and 500 slot machines. Sands Macao (www.sands.com.mo) with its gold facade faces the old Macau Outer Harbour Ferry Terminal a short distance from the Pharaoh’s Palace casino attached to Landmark, Macau (www.landmarkhotel.com.mo).

The Sands Group operates a great many casino hotels in Macau from The Venetian and The Parisian to the dramatic mini-Britain The Londoner Macao (www.londonermacao.com) that occupies a vast frontage facing its Venice-inspired sibling but completely dominating the strip with its unique architecture, a mini Big Ben and bright red London double decker. Londoner is an agglomeration of several hotels of which it forms the centrepiece.

Spot Tudor kings, pose before Queen Elizabeth, stroll the Shoppes, grab a Portuguese egg tart, or dive into a 400,000sq ft gaming floor split between two casinos. Find everything from Baccarat and Blackjack to old-fashioned roulette, poker and craps. Expect VIP zones for more personalised gaming. After you've made a fortune (or lost one) follow the influencers to one of its many Instagrammable spots indoors and outdoors.

Red London bus at The Londoner Macao/ photo: Vijay Verghese

The other mega Cotai offering is the gold bling Galaxy Macau (www.galaxymacau.com) that is home to a range of upscale hostelries from Raffles at Galaxy Macau and Andaz to Okura, Banyan Tree, The Ritz-Carlton, Galaxy Hotel, JW Marriott, and the youngest sibling — the Capella Galaxy Macau.

Think reflective glass slathered in gold, much in keeping with the Macau design vogue. Galaxy offers a broad range of high-end gaming in a large bright space that has managed to shine and maintain its appeal since the first hotel opened in 2011. This is one of the largest integrated resort spaces anywhere in the world.

No question, some of the best casino hotels in Asia are to be found in Macau. This is where Asian gaming really took off and flood of Mainland trippers keeps cash pumping through the system. If you want to flash that cash, start here, an hour's ferry ride from Hong Kong.

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Strait-laced Singapore throws the dice

Strait-laced Singapore and free-wheeling Las Vegas make strange bedfellows. Yet the republic has managed to pull out of its hat a crop of Singapore casino hotels set amidst a staggering array of shopping malls, greens, amusements, and family-friendly hotels. With an entrance fee for local residents and permanent ID-card holders, and no advertising in local media, the new gaming developments are as clean-cut and well managed as the rest of the city.

Casinos and gaming facilities are available at two Integrated Resorts — the much-photographed Marina Bay Sands (marinabaysands.com) with its pool and viewing deck atop three towers fronting the bay housing 15,000sq m of gaming with 1,600 slots; and Resorts World tucked away in Sentosa. Marina Bay's three 55-storey towers house around 2,600 rooms and suites and are connected by a one-hectare roof sky park offering 360-degree views of Singapore’s skyline.

Resorts World Casino/ photo: hotel

The casino occupies four levels. Marina Bay Sands provides a good amount of distraction for kids in the form of the Museum of Art and Science, a Light and Water Show and a Sampan Cruise experience.

Resorts World Sentosa (www.rwsentosa.com) opened in mid-February 2010 with a host of luxury Singapore casino hotels for high rollers and its latest offering is the futuristic WEAVE mall. The accommodation mix has been fine-tuned over the years to include by 2026, the upscale Hotel Michael, nature-immersed Equarius Hotel, and the by-invitation all-suite Crocksfords Tower. These three are the founding originals from this Integrated Resort. The earlier family-friendly Hard Rock Hotel had morphed into The Laurus, a Luxury Collection Resort by October 2025, and the Festive Hotel had reopened as Hotel Ora aimed at families. On Sentosa, the Universal Studios theme park is a huge attraction for families. This is something Resorts World Casino capitalises on in any comparison vs Marina Bay Sands.

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Philippines – Manila, Cebu go big

Casino hotels have a storied history in the Philippines with never a dull moment — and much drama. The airport adjacent Resorts World Manila, which was later rebranded as Newport World Resorts (www.newportworldresorts.com), an integrated entertainment and gaming complex, was briefly shutters-down after a 2 June 2017 incident when a lone gunman stormed its casino, setting it on fire. The intruder decamped with chips worth US$2.3m before being shot by by security guards. Calls were raised for heightened Manila casino hotel safety and security was tightened across the city. Facilites reopened after a brief closure and gamers have stormed back.

Okada Manila Casino/ photo: Vijay Verghese

Newport World Resorts runs a well-featured casino and hosts a slew of upscale and family-friendly hotels including the Manila Marriott Hotel (manila-marriott-hotel), business-and-leisure Sheraton Manila Hotel (www.marriott.com/sheraton-manila-hotel) with 393 rooms including some lofts, Hilton Manila (www3.hilton.com/hilton-manila), Holiday Inn Express and Hotel Okura Manila (www.hotelokuramanila.com). Newport Casino has an invitation-only Newport Club at the Garden Wing as well as a VIP Grand Glub and the Grand Slots in its Grand Wing (that also rolls out ballroom dancing at times). Expect a variety of stuff for kids, entertainment, dining, movies, shopping and space for meetings and events. Bear in mind that some of the hotels here are literally cheek-by-jowl with the airport and the busy access road.

Security is tight — with sniffer dogs and metal detectors — at most Manila hotels and at Casino establishments the screening ramps up. The Labradors are a friendly lot. Not far from the airport, the gold-exterior Okada Manila (www.okadamanila.com) offers an array of food and beverage outlets, a humungous casino with over 2,200 slot machines and 200 gaming tables, luxe rooms, an indoor beach dance club, and acres of designer brand shopping. Under gathered signature pink drapes that soar to the ceiling and its vast chandeliers, high rollers spin, ponder, and shell out.

The Solaire Resort Entertainment City (www.solaireresort.com) is a high end and very successful gaming establishment located on the coast of Manila Bay with its iconic Sky Tower. Security is tight at this Manila casino hotel and it is popular with families, gamers and conference-goers.

Premium room at Solaire Resort Entertainment City, Manila/ photo: hotel

The suites – ranging from 600sq m to 1,000sq m – are outfitted with Jacuzzis, flat-screen TVs, hi-tech controls, and bay views. The jewel in the crown? An 18,500sq m casino with 1,200 slot machines and 6,000sq m of VIP gaming salons.

Solaire Resort North (sn.solaireresort.com) is the younger sibling in Quezon City to the north of the downtown Manila sprawl with 10,000sq ft of gaming space, fresh smelling luxe and a host of dining and entertainment options centred around its Quezon Club. Opened in May 2024 with 530 rooms it is no slouch when it comes to business facilities and family entertainment.

Also in this fast developing Paranaque area with easy access to the airport is the unmissable gold stockade of the three-resort City of Dreams Manila (www.cityofdreamsmanila.com), a mini destination to lose yourself in over a weekend or more. It's trump card for families is DreamPlay, an immersive family entertainment venue — a first from Dreamworks. Meet Shrek and other characters. Expect lavish shows, non-stop entertainment, upscale shopping, fine dining, and a series of alfresco pools on the podium level. Splash out and combine a MICE event with a gaming break or family staycation at Hyatt Regency Manila, the branded Nobu Hotel Manila (from no less a personage than film celebrity Robert de Niro), or the exclusive 254-key Nüwa Manila that holds up its proud corner with a greater sense of intimacy and seclusion. The luxurious Nüwa Spa is a big draw for ladies and couples, offering a calming retreat within a retreat. All in, City of Dreams Manila is a 6.2 hectare retail and gaming mini-Las Vegas with distractions galore. Best of all, it is extremely child-friendly.

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Slot machines at the vast City of Dreams Manila casino (left); the exclusive and secluded NUWA Manila pool at CoD (centre); and reflective gold Hyatt Regency Manila at CoD (right)/photos: Vijay Verghese

Historical capital city of the Philippines, now a prime beach and diving resort hub, Cebu has two well run casinos, both by Waterfront hotels. Waterfront Airport Hotel and Casino Mactan is a stone’s throw from Mactan Airport and 15 minutes from the beach. But why fly all the way there to bed down at the airport, unless you are a serious gaming roundtripper? Better yet, head to the high-rise Waterfront Cebu City Hotel and Casino (waterfront-cebu-city-hotel-casino), to go wild in its Casino Filipino, a Cebu themed gaming area. Play runs 24 hours and includes three kinds of baccarat, blackjack, super 6, pontoon, stud poker, craps, red/white and many more favourites. The more sedate (but with lusty voices) might opt for Bingo.

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Aussie casino hotels and some Kiwi distractions

In Oz you’ll find the mega casino complexes, neon signs and batman light beams, but you’ll also spot a keen family-friendly hotel aspect to many gaming resorts where wildlife exhibitions take the place of raunchy cabaret shows. Our Australian casino guide begins right in the middle, at Lasseters Hotel Casino, Alice Springs (www.lasseters.com.au). Rebranded the Crowne Plaze Alice Springs Lasseters (www.ihg.com/crowneplaza), the resort is a low-rise sprawl that poses no challenge to the MacDonnell mountain range providing an impressive background.

Lasseters casino/ photo: hotel

The casino has 20 gaming tables with American roulette, Blackjack, Texas Hold'em, and Omaha Poker along with 350 electronic machines that include slots. There are usually a few machines reserved for non-smokers. This is true bush-tucker country, a taste of the outback with air-conditioning within easy reach. Rooms are large and simply furnished and the Alice Springs Convention Centre is right next door.

Darwin, in the north, hosts Mindil Beach Casino Resort (www.mindilbeachcasinoresort.com.au), which took over the baton from SKYCITY Darwin. This is a beachside property parked on 18 acres and close to the centre of town. If you can tear yourself away from the pool and tropical gardens there are games to be played at over 500 slots and 15 tables. Pick from Baccarat, Blackjack, Roulette, Texas Hold'em Poker and Money Wheel.

Heading south along the East coast, the Pullman Reef Hotel Casino, Cairns (www.reefcasino.com.au), looms next on the horizon. Topping the casino is the Cairns Wildlife Dome, an all-weather rooftop wildlife exhibit featuring over 100 species of native birds that fly freely around the dome. Reef’s casino offers mini baccarat, money wheel, the popular “TouchBet Roulette”, over 500 gaming machines, and TAB and Keno. Pullman hotel has 128 good-sized rooms, all with Jacuzzi-style bath and private balcony.

Despite being the largest urban centre in Queensland, Townsville still feels like its namesake, a country town, with a smattering of cosmopolitan cafés and boutique shops. Its prime casino-hotel offering, Jupiters Townsville Hotel and Casino, rebranded to The Ville in 2015 (www.the-ville.com.au) and boasts a good location between Magnetic Island, the Breakwater Marina and the Strand. Another Australian casino name with a major refurbishment under the belt, the hotel has 194 rooms, all light, pastel, and spacious. The casino hosts over 370 slot machines and 20 tables for gaming. In addition to the normal fare, find Three Card Caribbean Stud and mini Baccarat. This remains Townsville's only casino hotel.

Townsville's The Ville remains a focal attraction/ photo: hotel

Brisbane might not be everyone's most thrilling city and its reputation took another blow with the closure of the Conrad Treasury Casino & Hotel in late 2024. The heritage building was passed on for use by a university. An hour to the south, the bustle continues as chips fly. Landmark Las Vegas-style casino hotel Conrad Jupiters, Gold Coast on Broadbeach Island rebranded to ever-expanding The Star Gold Coast (www.star.com.au) late 2017 with several accommodation offerings, from luxe to family. The huge structure comprises over 1,000 rooms, an expansive column-free convention centre and a 24-hour casino. Covering over 60,000square feet over two levels, with more than 100 tables and a never-ending line of 1,400 gaming machines, the casino includes private poker rooms and invitation-only premium spaces. This remains a classic among top Asian casino hotels.

Sydney serves up the immense The Star Sydney (www.star.com.au/sydney), formerly the Star City, Sydney Hotel & Casino. The Star Sydney casino operates 200 gaming tables, and includes a hotel, a 2,000-seat theatre, and several restaurants and bars over a 3.34-hectare complex (about the size of seven football fields), in the Darling Harbour precinct. The Star was for years the only casino in New South Wales, joined in 2022 by Crown Sydney (www.crownsydney.com.au), a self-proclaimed six-star hotel with top-notch gaming facilities in Barangaroo. Crown offers an excellent location with walks and views and pampering .

Crown Melbourne (www.crownmelbourne.com.au) is at the centre of a multi-hotel Integrated Resort set on the southern banks of the Yarra. At the centre of the complex, Crown Casino is touted as the 'largest gaming facility in the southern hemisphere'. The casino’s 300 tables include all the home-grown and imported games, as well as the latest touch-screen technology for “Rapid Roulette”, “Rapid Sic Bo” and “Rapid Big Wheel”.

Mississippi Stud at Crown Melbourne casino/ photo: hotel

Crown Towers, Crown Promenade and Crown Metropol have over 1,600 rooms, with broad ranging prices – of the three hotels, Crown Towers is considered the premier property. The Victoria Hotel at Crown Melbourne is an independent heritage hotel within walking distance of Crown Casino but not part of the complex.

Adelaide boasts another SKYCITY casino, SkyCity Adelaide (www.skycityadelaide.com.au), which does its thing with 1,000 machines, 100 tables and a poker room. This is a pure gaming centre, a lone-wolf casino in the Australian city of churches. It later added a high end hotel called the Eos by SkyCity integrated with entertainment spaces and the convention centre.

Clinging to the coast of Western Australia, Perth’s well known Burswood Entertainment Complex switched flags in 2011 to Crown Perth (www.crownperth.com.au). It covers a seriously vast amount of space: putting a roof over a casino, several restaurants and bars, upscale shops, several conference halls and three hotels — Crown Towers, Crown Metropol and Crown Promenade. If you feel like escaping the air-conditioned casino bubble, bed down in a mid-range hotel nearby.

Tasmania and New Zealand offer further choice. Wrest Point Hotel in Hobart. Tasmania, (wrestpoint.com.au) is a well respected, waterfront hotel with a boutique casino and areas for gaming machines. Smarter still is the Country Club Tasmania (countryclubtasmania.com.au) that houses a casino and gaming area. It dropped the name Launceston from its brand several years back. Here, combine the casino experience with golf.

Go back to basics at tell-it-like-it-is SkyCity Auckland Casino (skycityauckland.co.nz) with a spread of 2,100 gaming machines and 150 tables over two levels. Choose from three hotels, SkyCity, Grand, and Horizon. You will need a SHOW by SkyCity Card or a Premier Rewards card to be eligible for access to the casino. You may sign up for a card at the casino. Entry fees may apply.

Okada Manila's silken pink gathers above the gaming area (left); three instantly recognisable towers of Marina Bay Sands Singapore with linking rooftop pool deck (centre); and Solaire Manila SkyTower suite (right)/photos: hotels

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Gaming guide to South Korea

The ultra luxe Paradise Casino Walkerhill Seoul (www.paradisecasino.co.kr) set within Grand Walkerhill Seoul continues to refresh and expand, now with new VVIP gaming areas (and membership club) with more personalised service. The grim security detail peering at you through shades ensures all entrants are genuine foreigners. It is foreigners-only at Paradise Walkerhill, and all Korean casinos for that matter. (Kangwon Land Casino, in Gangwon province, is the only casino in South Korea that can accept both Koreans and foreigners). Paradise Casino is open 24 hours, with 205 slot machines, 86 Baccarat tables and 20 tables with assorted gaming. Tables have a minimum bet starting from W30,000. \Also look out for Paradise Casino Paradise City — claimed to be the biggest foreigner-only gaming area in Korea — in one of the Grand Hyatt Incheon towers near the international airport; and a Paradise Casino at the Lotte Hotel Jeju.

Paradise Casino Walker Hill Seoul has new VVIP spaces too/ photo: hotel

7Luck Casinos (www.7luck.com) has a full house of Korean-style gaming at three locations: Gangnam COEX and Seoul Dragon City in the capital, and at the Busan Lotte.

Outlying Jeju Island (also known as Cheju, off the south coast of Korea) is one of many outpost islands in Asia picked especially for use by the gambling tourist community. The idea? Keep the super-casinos and their rowdy clients out of sight, funnelling cash back to the mainland. Gambling or no, Jeju is a delightful destination, offering dramatic verdant landscapes and heaps of history. Chinese visitors have helped bolster casino revenues on the island.

There are a few good choices on Jeju with feisty casino lights beckoning guests. Try chip-crazy Paradise Casino Jeju Grand. The 429-room The Shilla Jeju (www.shilla.net/jeju) is an excellent choice , set in a white colonial-style property with views of Mt Halla from light-tone, shuttered rooms with fireplaces. The casino is European-style with a tables and slots open 24 hours. Or hop across to the gleaming newish Grand Hyatt Jeju (grand-hyatt-jeju) that opened in 2020 to sample one of Korea's largest casinos, Jeju Dream Tower (www.jejudreamtower.com/eng), with 159 gaming tables and 190 state-of-the-art slot machines following all the latest trends and crazes. There are also Lotte City Hotel and the Jeju Shinhwa World, with more attractive rates.

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Cambodia cashes in on chips

Cambodian casinos have benefited greatly from the influx of gamblers and as such fall into two categories: city or border-town. The first casinos opened in 1994 and charged forth to multiply in Phnom Penh, Bavet, Poipet and the coastal resort town of Sihanoukville. While slot machines for locals are restricted to hotels, casinos of various description are open to foreigners. In 2021 a tough new gaming law was passed aimed at curbing indiscriminate growth. Licensing is now available only for casinos that have capital valued at US$100m and integrated resorts that have over US$200m in total start-up capital. This has brought total licences down to under 90.

Naga 2 Casino at NagaWorld Hotel, Phnom Penh/ photo: hotel

Phnom Penh’s biggest casino hotel is the cavernous NagaWorld (www.nagaworld.com. The casino has grown even bigger with the addition of Naga 2 that houses 300 gaming tables and 2,500 electronic slot machines. The Grand Casino and Garden Casino in the Khmer-themed public hall hosts an assortment of machines and tables offering Baccarat, Roulette, Blackjack, Naga Stud Poker, the Wheel of Fortune, Sic Bo, and the Ultimate Texas Hold’em. The VIP Suites in Naga 2 are perhaps the plushest of the lot but in general expect flat-screen TVs, complimentary WiFi, marble en suite bathrooms, coffee facilities and spa treatments in-room. There are large ballrooms too for conventions, events and exhibitions.

A two-hour drive north of Phnom Penh is Kampong Thom on the banks of the river. Here the 108-room Grand Dragon Resort (www.granddragon.net) in laid-back Chrey Thom Village offers gaming machines and around 50 table games including blackjack, baccarat, roulette and tai sai. The hotel operates a pick-up and drop-off at the Holiday Inn Phnom Penh. Don't expect too much of this three-four-star hotel.

Between Aranyaprathet, Thailand, and Banteay Meanchey, Cambodia, the small border town Poipet trails a fairly shady reputation. Flush with tacky casinos, Poipet is frequented largely by day-tripper Thais. Claims of cheating are rife. If intent on sampling Poipet’s grizzly gambling wares, your best bet is perhaps to book at the Holiday Palace (www.holidaypalace.com), where decent rooms await along with a spa and some duty-free shops.

Similar to Poipet, Bavet located on the Moc Bai border with Vietnam, has developed as a casino town catering for Vietnamese day-trippers. It is known unofficially as Casino City. Vietnam is developing its own legal clubs and casinos but for many these remain less accessible.

Sokha Beach Resort Sihanoukville is a good spot to base yourself for a casino prowl/ photo: hotel

Seaside Sihanoukville falls into the “city” category, developing through international tourism, rather than as a border feeder destination. Best bets for exploring the city's casinos and gaming options include the classy and well-sited Sokha Beach Resort Sihanoukville (sokhahotels.com.kh) with comfy rooms, WiFi, kids' club, two swimming pools and assorted fitness and wellness offerings; and Holiday Palace Sihanoukville (holidaypalace-shv.com), across from Victory Beach and Cambodia's longest running casino with 10 table games and 200 slot machines. Also look at the 95-room modern high-rise ocean view Grand La Vogue Hotel & Casino (grandlavogue.com), the relaxing seaside Queenco Hotel & Casino (queencoasia.com) on Victory Beach, and the old-style Fortuna Hotel and Casino.

Serious betting types may want to experience one not-so-legal pastime before they leave Cambodia – betting on rain. Particularly popular in the 1960s, groups of elderly men can still be found placing bets on what time it will rain and how much rain will fall. If you’re lucky you’ll win enough for an umbrella.

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Indian high rollers and Nepal mountain highs

Goa is where it’s at for Indian casino hotels. The original party state is transforming itself into a gaming star amidst no small amount of controversy. Goa’s combination of good beaches and five-star hotels, have encouraged a few casinos to muscle in alongside the breakfast buffets and kiddie pools. No Las Vegas just as yet, these small casinos are tolerated as part of Goa’s tourist dependent economy.

Goa Marriott has a casino and a good beach/ photo: hotel

Gaming machines and slots are favoured throughout Goa’s casinos, as are more lighthearted versions of reel and poker – there’s too much sun and fun going on outside for anything more than a casual flutter. But if you do want to splash your cash, take yourself offshore and onto a floating casino.

The Leela Kempinski Goa in southern Mobor, 47km from the international airport, had 75 acres of luxury pBut when it morphed into The St Regis the casino disappeared. Still, you may get lucky at small casinos in various hotels like The Zuri White Sands, Goa Resort & Casino (www.thezurihotels.com). Zuri's Deltin Casino, described as "the only onshore casino in South Goa", offers everythings from whirring slot machines to poker, blackjack and roulette. Also explore the small and homey Chances Resort and Casino (chancesgoa.com) at Dona Paula, a few minutes' drive south of the capital, Panaji (Panjim). It offers several casino packages.

And five minutes from Candolim Beach is Deltin Suites (www.deltin.com/deltin-suites-hotel) in shades of yellow (think gold) has a compact 1,000sq ft of gaming space with the usual Roulette, Blackjack, 'Maang Patta' and other games. Deltin offers casinos at other locations in Goa as well as up at 6,000ft above sea level for a more breathtaking experience at the Casino Deltin Denzong (deltin-denzong-casino) in Gangtok, Sikkim, in the Himalayas.

The five-star Holiday Inn (tel: [91-832] 287-1303-13, www.holidayinngoa.com) nestles beside The Leela, but caters to a more cost-conscious clientele. It has 187 rooms, many of which overlook the sea, a small casino of mainly slots, and a disco.

O Hotel on Candolim Beach, Goa (left) offers an interesting casino tour base; Kathmandu's Soaltee (centre) catches the evening sun; while the Zuri White Sands Goa (right) is a relaxing, well-serviced India casino hotels option on our review with a swathe of beach to boot/photos: hotels

More cost-conscious still, is the Majorda Beach Resort (www.majordabeachresort.com), in the more crowded area of Varca. Its sprawl includes 120 rooms and 10 cottages over 20 roomy acres. Check out its mini Treasures Casino, more famed for its food hall than its hard-core gaming. Step up the price scale again at beachfront The Zuri Varca, Goa White Sands Resort and Casino (formerly The Radisson, tel: [91-832] 272-7226, www.thezurihotels.com) where you’ll find a more sedate, high-end set, design-centric accommodation, a spa, six restaurants and casino.

Deltin Suites Goa near Candolim Beach is a popular pick/ photo: hotel

At Miramar Beach the low-rise Goa Marriott Resort & Spa (goa-marriott-resort-and-spa) serves up a beachfront location, minutes' south of Panjim, with an infinity pool, 155 pleasantly designed rooms and for gamers, the roulette-blackjack Casino Carnival.

Another accessible Goa gaming option is the Grand 7 Casino (grand7casinogoa.com) at the 75-room O Hotel (www.ohotelsindia.com/goa) on the popular and often crowded Candolim Beach just north of Panjim.

To head offshore — just a wee bit — make for the river-moored Deltin Royale (deltin-royale-casino) that is accessible from Panjim jetty. This is a 24-hour operation with 50,000sqft of gaming space, 1,000 tables for assorted games, various play packages, and a limited space children's facility. Explore other boat options too as there are a few around at different price points.

Unlike in India, in neighbouring Nepal it is not uncommon to find casinos parked deep within a Kathmandu or Pokhara hotel. There are big peaks to climb and small fortunes to lose. The minimum stakes are low enough for novices, and dollars, Indian and Nepalese rupees, traveller's cheques and credit cards are accepted.

NagaWorld Phnom Penh VIP Suite/ photo: hotel

Gaming buffs in Kathmandu will make straight for the Maharaja The Royal Casino (maharajalife.com) sited at the Kathmandu Marriott Hotel (kathmandu-marriott-hotel). This is a reasonably kitted out gaming establishment. Maharaja also operates in Pokhara and runs the Cordelia Cruise.

Or head to the Casino Mahjong at The Soaltee Kathmandu, Autograph Collection (soaltee-kathmandu-autograph-collection) that was once an Oberoi and even a Crowne Plaza. This is a storied location even though its casino gets mixed reviews.

Casino Rad at the five-star Radisson Hotel Kathmandu (www.radisson.com) in Lazimpat, neighbouring the Royal Palace and Durbar Square, appears to have been closed by 2025. But this would be a good staging point to visit other city casinos. Across from the Royal Palace is Hotel Yak & Yeti (www.yakandyeti.com), a huge property, steeped in history, on Durbar Marg. There are no yaks, nor yetis, but there are two wings – one is more than a century old. It was once the third palace of a prime minister of Nepal. Its Casino Royale also appears to have bitten the dust. Still it's a fine spot to base yourself. This is a family friendly Kathmandu hotel.

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Casino cruises to nowhere hit the jackpot

Casino cruises to “nowhere” have slunk surely and steadily into the gaming scene, sailing past raised bureaucratic eyebrows with all the ease and grace of an elephant stepping into Victoria’s Secret’s flimsiest. A short chug into international waters and the rules are out. If you think being locked onboard a floating casino is scary, there is plenty more to distract aboard the 50,000tonne beasts.

Star Voyager does cruises to nowhere from Hong Kong/ photo: StarCruises

Single, three or five-day packages offer all inclusive entertainment, buffet food, swimming and a huge range of family activities, with gambling available to adult cruisers. StarCruises (www.starcruises.com), operated by Resorts World Cruises who kick-started the brand afresh in 2025, is the largest provider of local cruises in Asia, with a fleet of star-sign inspired ships sailing into the ports of Hong Kong, Singapore, Taiwan, Phuket, Penang, and Port Klang (near Kuala Lumpur).

Check out the Star Voyager if in Hong Kong (cruisest to nowhere) or the much bigger high-end Dream Cruise sibling Genting Dream in Singapore, which also offers assorted distractions like a 35m top-deck zipline, wellness treatments, a bowling alley and a number of swimming pools. Other international cruise ships also have casino and gaming options if you pick an Asian leg but this would require much forward planning as frequencies are limited. Explore StarPrincess (Princess Cruises), Royal Caribbean, and Carnival.

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Head to the Pacific, Saipan

Should you wish to venture farther east into the Pacific, there's always Saipan island, which celebrates a bolder spirit compared with conservative neighbour Guam. The popular Kanoa Resort Saipan closed in 2022 as did the Imperial Pacific Resort Hotel Saipan (both casualties of Covid) but several other establishments carry on the Saipan casino hotel tradition. The Saipan Vegas Resort (saipanvegasresort.com) is a curious mixture of slot machines and golf at the Saipan Country Club. Several international hotels — like the Crowne Plaza Resort Saipan — sporting beachfront locations and good family-friendly facilities are close to the gaming district.

And that’s the long and short of our Asian casino hotels guide and gaming resorts, from sea to sky. Coy or cash-rich, there’s a place for you and your bulging LV bag.

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