Macau Aims to Transform From Casino Hub into Regional Business and Tech Center
Macau's trade promotion chief says the city will shift focus from gambling to becoming a broader business hub, targeting 60% of GDP from non-gaming sectors by 2030.
Speaking at the Fortune Leaders Forum, Alex Che Weng Keong, president of the Commerce and Investment Promotion Institute of the Macao SAR, announced a strategic pivot for Macau away from its reliance on gambling, which currently provides roughly 45% of GDP and 80% of tax revenue. The 2026-2030 five-year plan allocates about 130 billion patacas to “emerging industries” and aims for non-gaming sectors to contribute 60% of the economy by 2030.
Che pointed to Las Vegas as an example of a casino city that also hosts global business events. Central to the strategy is the Guangdong-Macao In-Depth Cooperation Zone on the neighboring Hengqin island, which he described as vital for the Greater Bay Area’s future. He also highlighted Macau’s unique status—its own currency, legal system, and Portuguese language—as an advantage for building ties with European and Lusophone markets.
Deloitte China’s Edward Au added that better coordination among Greater Bay Area cities could create a world-class innovation network, with Macau focusing on traditional Chinese medicine, health, and data-technology niches. Che envisions that by 2036 Macau will be recognized as part of a unified “tech city” that includes both the peninsula and Hengqin.
Why it matters
Diversifying Macau’s economy could reduce dependence on gambling and reshape the Greater Bay Area’s economic landscape.
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