WATCH: Can Macau Become the Next Silicon Valley?

Macau wants to reinvent itself as Asia’s Silicon Valley. As the world’s biggest gambling hub known for its dazzling casinos, can it achieve this grand plan?

We went to BEYOND Expo, one of Asia’s biggest tech conferences, and talked to industry experts for their insights.

Macau has a unique history — in the 16th century, it was a Portuguese colony. People came from the Chinese mainland in search of work, gambling in their free time.

But the area faced competition from neighboring Hong Kong, which back then was just a small fishing village. After Britain took control in 1842, Hong Kong grew into a bustling international trade hub.

Macau needed a way to stay in the game, so the city legalized gambling, and the rest is history. These days, Macau is a major gambling destination — in 2019 for instance, the city raked in six times what Las Vegas made.

Gambling makes up 80% of the city’s revenue, but now that’s starting to change. The Macau of tomorrow could be geared toward innovation, technology, and international business.