Gaming, Governance and Public Policy in Macao

Book excerpt: The small city of Macao--formerly a Portuguese colony, now a Special Administrative Region of China--liberalized its gaming industry in 2002. Since then a score of new casinos have been built and millions of gamblers have flooded in from mainland China. Per capita income has more than doubled in five years and the gaming operators have outstripped their Las Vegas counterparts in revenue and profits. But rapid economic growth has also brought social and political problems. In this structured survey of modern Macao, 15 experts examine the effects of massive foreign investment, the problems of governance, and increasing public policy challenges in a time of rapid change and potential social instability. Newman M. K. Lamis professor of public administration at the University of Macau.Ian Scottis emeritus professor and fellow of the Asia Research Centre at Murdoch University and adjunct professor of public and social administration at the City University of Hong Kong.