The Most Expensive Casinos in the World 2024

Our updated list of the top richest casinos in the world for 2024, from Vegas to Macau and all points in-between.

The Mirage in Las Vegas is considered to be the world’s first casino mega resort. When it opened in 1989, at a cost of $630 million, it became the most expensive casino to design and build in the world as well as one of the biggest hotels ever built. The Mirage was an incredible success, showing that casino operators could diversify their revenue streams through hotels, entertainment and fine dining to keep the money flowing. The Mirage’s competitors took note, and soon they were building their own mega-resorts. Each new mega resort was trying to out-do their rivals by being bigger, better and, of course, more expensive.

The race to being seen as the biggest and the best was not to be confined to Las Vegas, with operators in Asia following suit as the 21^st century began. Our list of the ten most expensive casinos to design and build in the world has entries from Macau, Singapore and, of course, Las Vegas.

#1 Aria Campus, Las Vegas (cost $8.5 billion)

Previously known as CityCenter Las Vegas, the Aria Campus in Las Vegas is the most expensive casino to design and build in the world. MGM Resorts footed the $8.5 billion bill to build this “city within a city” on the Vegas strip. In fact, not only is this project the most expensive casino in the world, but it was also the largest privately funded construction project in the history of the USA. So, what does £8.5billion get you in Vegas? Well, quite a lot!

The mammoth, 1.7 million square meter complex comprises both the Vdara and Aria hotels. The gaming space is mostly located at the Aria Casino. Here you are going to find almost 2,000 slot machines, 145 table games and one of the best Poker experiences in Vegas. There are 24 different tables set aside for different types of poker action. Limits, no limits, Omaha and 7-card are all accounted for here. While the high limit games may be too costly for most, some of the entertainment on offer on this casino floor has a minimum bet of just one cent, allowing all budgets to get a taste of the action!

Outside of the gaming area you are going to find upmarket boutique shopping, over 4,000 hotel rooms, 19 different dining options and 215,000 square feet dedicated to the all-important pool area. All this is amongst the usual Vegas fare of high profile residencies, concerts and luxury spas. The Vdara even offers a boutique doggy hotel for those who can’t leave their pampered pooch behind!

#2 Marina Bay Sands, Singapore (cost $6.8 billion)

Though Singapore is a small country with just a pair of casinos that cater to the local and foreign crowds, it is home to one of the most impressive casinos you will ever see. The Marina Bay Sands, owned by the Las Vegas Sands Corp., is the second-most expensive casino in the world at a whopping $6.8 billion to complete.

The design itself is one of the most unique you will ever see, featuring three towers and an absolutely huge rooftop pool. In terms of “wow” factor from afar, it might be difficult for any other casino to top the Marina Bay Sands.

The casino alone covers 160,000 square feet and takes up four floors. There are 2,500 slot games, more than 700 table games, and 13 different game variations. That’s just part of the whopping 800,000 square feet that includes 50 restaurants, 2,500 hotel rooms, and some of the best retail shops you could hope to find. The investment doesn’t end there, either.

Las Vegas Sands decided in early 2019 that it would invest another $13 billion to expand the Singapore casino and add a fourth tower. The expansions will include another 1,000 hotel rooms, exhibition halls, and even an indoor arena capable of seating 15,000.

#3 Resorts World Sentosa, Singapore (cost $5.2 billion)

The second most expensive casino in Singapore, and the third most expensive casino to design and build in the world, is the Resorts World Sentosa. Owners, Genting, have been growing rapidly since they opened in the only casino in Malaysia in 1971, and the Singapore addition to their line-up is nothing short of spectacular. As one may expect from Genting, Resorts World Sentosa offers more than just casino floors. Present here on the 49-hectare site are Universal Studios, Hard Rock Hotel, beach villas, Michelin star dining, theatres and one of the biggest aquariums in the world!

That’s not to say the casino has been neglected – far from it! In fact, the gaming area here measures up to anything else on this list! The gaming floor manages to packs in an impressive 2,400 slot machines and 500 table games across its 15,000 square metres.

#4 Wynn Las Vegas & Encore Resort (cost $5 billion)

Wynn Las Vegas, known as The Wynn, opened in 2005 and immediately became the most expensive casino hotel ever built at $2.7 billion. Not only that, its 45-storey hotel tower became the tallest building in the entire state of Nevada! The casino floor is impressive here, as its 10,000 sq. meter space is occupied by 1,000 slot machines and 128 table games.

The Wynn was already huge (and expensive), but the developers decided that it wasn’t quite grand enough so they added the Encore to the resort at a cost of $2.3billion. This took the total cost of the “mega resort” to $5 billion. The addition of The Encore also added 6,700 sq. meters of gaming space to the development, along with an additional 850 slots and 110 table games.

The Wynn is also the only resort in Vegas to offer a full, 18-hole golf course. “Golf at The Wynn” was designed with the extravagance that you may expect when it comes to Vegas, with the 18^th hole even having a 36-foot-tall waterfall!

#5 Resorts World Sentosa, Singapore (cost $4.5 billion)

Singapore makes the most of its relatively small land mass by delivering yet another incredible casino. This is the second casino on the list for Singapore, clocking in at more than $4.5 billion for the Genting Group to develop on Sentosa Island. In 2019, it was announced that the group would invest another $1 billion in facilities at Resorts World.

This location has a lot more to offer than simply gaming. There are incredible tourist attractions available, including The Maritime Experiential Museum, Marine Life Park, and Universal Studios Singapore. There is also an array of great hotels, including Crockfords Tower, Festive Hotel, and the Hard Rock Hotel.

The casino floor by itself covers more than 94,000 square feet and features more than 2,400 gaming machines and 500 table games with an array of different variations. That’s not even mentioning the high-end restaurants and retailers that can be found across the property.

#6 Resorts World, Las Vegas (cost $4.3 billion)

When Resorts World Vegas opened its doors in 2021 it immediately became the second most expensive casino to ever be built in Las Vegas. Perhaps more important than that is the fact that it also became the first new resort to be built on the Vegas strip for over a decade! The construction industry in Sin City has suffered since the Great Recession of 2008, and many projects have fallen by the wayside. There is a hope that if Genting make a success out of their massive investment, then more investment could follow.

The resort itself has everything that we have come to expect from a Resorts World destination, including three different tiers of accommodation, incredible entertainment spaces and a vast casino floor. What makes this casino interesting is that it may well be the very first “smart” casino in the country. Cashless betting is available by loading deposits on to the resort’s app, which dealers can scan to give you chips. Given that Resorts World stands on the site of the iconic Stardust, there is a sense that this state-of-the-art development is ushering in a new era on the strip.

#7 Wynn Palace, Macau (cost $4.1 billion)

Coming in at just a hair over $4 billion is the Wynn Palace in Macau, considered one of the biggest gambling hubs on the planet. Casino operators have poured billions of dollars into the area and it is evident when you lay eyes on structures like Wynn Palace.

Steve Wynn, the former chairman of Wynn Resorts, put the project together and the result is this masterpiece that opened in 2016.  Wynn Palace has an excellent array of both gaming and non-gaming options to choose from, making it a perfect destination for gamblers and non-gamblers alike.

There are more than 200 table games available as well as special VIP rooms available to the highest of high rollers. The most impressive part may be the 28-story hotel, featuring more than 1,700 rooms as well as a whopping 200,000 square feet completely dedicated to an array of high-end restaurants and retailers. Still to come is an indoor theater that will be able to seat 15,000 people.

#8 The Cosmopolitan, Las Vegas (cost $3.9 billion)

Las Vegas alone hosts some of the most expensive casinos ever built. The Bellagio is one of them, coming in at a whopping $3.9 billion to construct, opening its doors in December 2010. The casino resort is notable for its two high-rise towers, each of which is 184 meters in height and features more than 3,000 hotel rooms.

Owned by the Blackstone Group, the casino floor alone spans more than 110,000 square feet. It features more than 80 table games and 1,500 slot machines, making it a paradise for any gambler. The property includes meeting rooms and a convention center as well, covering another 150,000 square feet. It is without a doubt one of the most impressive properties in a city that is built on being impressive.

#9 The Venetian, Macau (cost $2.4 billion)

The second biggest casino in the world, built by the most profitable casino company in the world, is also the eighth most expensive casino ever built. The investment was an almost immediate success as more than 3.9 million visitors flocked to the resort in its first eight weeks! Now The Venetian Macau, and its sister resort in Las Vegas, are undoubtedly two of the most iconic casino destinations in the world. With luxury shopping, fine dining and indoor gondoliers, the Macau resort is a tourist hotspot as well as a gaming haven.

With 51,000 sq. metres of gaming space, the casino floor is the biggest on our list and it comes well stocked! There are 3,400 slot machines, 340 table games and, perhaps most intriguingly, four distinctly themed gambling areas. The themes are Golden Fish, Phoenix, Imperial House and Red Dragon, and the influence of Chinese culture and mythology can be observed throughout.

#10 City of Dreams, Macau (cost $2.1 billion)

At the entrance to the entertainment area of Macau, the City of Dreams complex greats you. This behemoth development holds three casinos, four hotels and five hotel towers. It seems to have been built with one philosophy in mind; bigger is always better! This a true icon of Macau, and its success has begun something of a franchise as a City of Dreams has also opened in Manila, and another will soon open in Cyprus.

The gambling action takes place on a massive gaming area of more than 39,000 sq. meters, which hosts 1,514 slot machines and 450 table games. This is supplemented by Alain Ducasse restaurants, regular concerts and the stunning Sky Bridge on the 21^st floor.

Alternative Cheaper Option: Online Casinos

For those who find the opulence of these extravagant casinos beyond their reach, fret not. There exists an alternative avenue for indulging in the thrill of gambling without the need for lavish expenditure: legal online casinos. 

So, if the glitz and glamour of the most expensive casinos seem daunting, consider exploring these top online casinos:

• BetMGM
• BetRivers
• PlayStar
• Bet365
• Borgata
• Party