The Grand Waldo Casino, the 21th casino in Macao, started
operation here on Monday, a region with a population of
480,000.
The gaming facility is located in the region's Cotai area, the
first of its kind outside the Macao Peninsula, the city's crowded
and prosperous center.
The casino, boasting 24 VIP lounges and 101 regular gaming
tables, was the 4th casino invested in Macao by the Hong Kong-based
Galaxy Entertainment Group.
Macao has a 150-year history of gaming industry and is the only
part of China where casino gaming is legitimate.
The gross receipts of the region's previous 20 casinos reached
46.1 billion patacas (US$5.76 billion) in 2005, up 8.2 percent over
2004, according to official statistics issued earlier this
year.
(Xinhua News Agency May 23, 2006)
