“From Nothing to Neon: Capturing the Lavish Transformation of Macau’s Gaming Paradise”

“I am not a significant gambler,” Adam Lampton remarks. “The initial time I visited Macau, shortly after graduating, I didn’t have any excess cash – it all went on camera film. People approach it very earnestly, so I felt too intimidated to sit down and be the white guy who didn’t have a clue what he was doing.”

As a non-gambler in Macau, the American photographer would have seemed out of place – most visitors come to “play,” wishing for a stroke of luck. The prior Portuguese territory, now a special administrative region of China, stands as the gambling capital of the globe. Positioned on China’s southeastern coastline, just across the water from Hong Kong, Macau’s gaming earnings often overshadow those of the US’s “Sin City.” The Macau administration projects its gaming revenues to reach approximately $27bn in 2024, whereas the declining Nevada appears set to drop beneath 2023’s peak of $15.5bn.

Casino giants Wynn, MGM, and Sands, based in Nevada, possess major establishments there, including the Venetian, the largest casino worldwide. “The Venetian is utterly extravagant,” Lampton reflects. “In the commercial areas, the indoor mall-slash-park, there exists a fully operational canal with serenading gondoliers offering boat rides. They’ve recreated Venice’s St Mark’s Square, complete with painted ceilings of clouds that shift throughout the day. It’s absurd.”

Lampton has depicted this and numerous other facets of Macau in his recent photography book, Nothing Serious Can Happen Here, which borrows its title from WH Auden’s poem Macao from 1938. Lampton first ventured into the area in 2006, residing and working there for a year on a fellowship from the Fulbright Program, aimed at enhancing intercultural understanding. He returned for shorter visits in 2015 and 2019. During this period, he has witnessed the transformation of Macau. “The contemporary destination is primarily centered around the relatively recent development known as the Cotai Strip, constructed on landfill between two isles, Taipa and Coloane. When I initially arrived, everything was underway, with numerous cranes and construction. By my final visit, it was nearly entirely completed. They created this Vegas in just a decade.”

Gambling has been legalized in Macau since 1847 – while Hong Kong was under colonial British rule, the Portuguese government legitimized the industry to boost revenue. Macau remained under Portuguese control until 1999, when it was returned to China. With gambling being illegal and subject to imprisonment throughout China, it is somewhat disconcerting that the Communist party oversees the world’s largest gambling hub, which, akin to Vegas, invites corruption and vice, featuring “saunas” along the Cotai Strip and sex workers operating within the gaming areas.

Lampton aimed to illuminate Macau’s paradoxes: colonial past, Chinese customs, and casino-driven capitalism. “Beyond the principal gambling zone, there are residential districts that maintain a serene, quaint, romantic colonial ambiance, where little is occurring,” he notes. He also wished to convey not only the magnitude of China’s mega-projects and constructions but also an understanding that “real lives are unfolding there.”

The Chinese administration is striving to diversify Macau’s tourism offerings. “Their vision for the city is more aligned with a mainstream, family-oriented ‘entertainment zone’, with conference centers and more,” states Lampton. However, gambling, which has accounted for as much as 80% of Macau’s yearly tax revenue, is unlikely to vanish. “The Chinese government is highly entrepreneurial,” Lampton asserts. “They desire to experiment with different governance models, functioning almost like laboratories, to observe what is effective and what is not. With Macau, they will never curtail gambling because it generates far too much revenue.”

On a roll: five images from the book

City of Dreams Under Construction, 2007
The term “City of Dreams” encapsulated the notion of creating something from nothing. This was among the initial captures that I remember conceptualizing in Macau. It was getting late in the afternoon, and the construction workers awaiting the bus appeared drained – it had been such a scorching day.

Prince: Bellboy at the 13 Hotel, 2019 (main image)
This new establishment, the 13, advertised itself as featuring the most expensive hotel suite globally – $130,000 USD each night. Unfortunately, the hotel failed to obtain the gambling license, leaving it burdened with an exorbitantly priced space without the allure of actually being able to gamble there. When I visited, it was nearly entirely deserted. The bellboy looked delighted just to have someone to converse with. The 13 has since shut down.

The Eiffel Tower at the Parisian Macao, 2015
This iteration of the Eiffel Tower is situated outside The Parisian Macao hotel. Numerous Chinese individuals associate themes of wealth and luxury with “high” European culture. The Eiffel Tower was finalized in 2016. I possess shots of the completed tower, yet this image captivates me far more. When elements become overly refined, it becomes challenging for me to grasp the fascination, as there’s no element of surprise or exploration.left.

Leisure, 2007
This snapshot was captured during the initial stages of the Cotai Strip’s construction. I can’t recall which casino or resort this was promoting, but the women’s expressions appeared disorienting amidst the untamed weeds around the enclosure. This is one of my more dreamlike images and likely reflects more explicitly my sentiments regarding much of Macau: that it often felt bewildering and resembled waking abruptly from a dream.

The Greek Mythology Casino Fountain, 2007
The Greek Mythology hotel and casino was among the first venues to capitalize on the relaxed visa policies in the early 2000s – it would transport individuals from mainland China for a single-day excursion. For many of the initial visitors, it may have served as their first exposure to Greek mythology. By the time I snapped this photo in 2007, people had moved past any elegance it once conveyed. It has since ceased operations.

Mahjong Parlor, 2007
This photograph materialized from exploring a residential district in Macau. I doubt I could rediscover it even if I wished – it was hidden behind a few apartments in a densely inhabited area of the city.

Nothing Serious Can Happen Here authored by Adam Lampton is published by Kehrer Verlag (£38). For more information visit adamlampton.com and find me on Instagram @adamlampton