From desperate times to the Vegas big time, Macau's gambling addiction grows
1847 Macau's Portuguese government starts licensing gambling houses in a desperate bid to fill its depleted coffers following Britain's seizure of Hong Kong Island. Most gambling houses offer only Chinese games of luck, such as fan tan.
1937 To improve the supervision of its sprawling gaming sector, the Macau government decides to monopolise its operations. The casino monopoly is granted to Companhia Tai Heng headed by Fu Lou-iong and Kou Ho-neng. The company proves highly profitable.
1961/62 Portugal opens Macau's casino monopoly up for tender. A group of Hong Kong entrepreneurs headed by Stanley Ho Hung-sun wins the tender by promising to invest heavily in Macau's tourism industry.
1970 Mr Ho's Sociedade de Turismo e Diversoes de Macau opens its flagship casino-hotel, the Lisboa.
1990s Macau is hit hard by gangland violence on the fringes of the gaming industry, with scores of murders and arson attacks. Violent crimes have virtually disappeared since Macau reverted to Chinese rule in December 1999.
2001/02 The post-handover government under Chief Executive Edmund Ho Hau-wah decides to liberalise the gaming industry. Three casino operating concessions are awarded at the end of an international tendering process: Mr Ho's newly founded Sociedade de Jogos de Macau, Galaxy Casino, which includes Hong Kong property tycoon Lui Che-woo and The Venetian from Las Vegas, and Wynn Resorts from Las Vegas.
Early 2004 Mr Ho's casinos gross a record 11.7 billion patacas in revenue.
May 18, 2004 The Venetian opens the Sands, its first casino in Macau, ending Mr Ho's 42-year monopoly.
June/July 2004 Galaxy plans to open its first casino-hotel in Macau.
Second half 2004 Wynn Resorts plans construction of its first casino-hotel tower.
Late 2006 The Venetian and Galaxy plan to open mega-casino hotel resorts on the Cotai land reclamation area between Coloane and Taipa islands.
