Taiwan Looking for Investors for Aerotropolis Casino Project

With China threatening not to allow citizens to travel to Taiwan for gambling, the country is counting on a new casino resort to bring in tourists

Even though casinos aren’t yet allowed under Taiwanese gambling laws, the local government is looking for investors interested in developing a gambling business in the Taoyuan Aerotropolis business zone, next to the Taoyuan International Airport outside Taipei.

Although US casino developer Weidner Resorts has already announced his plans for a resort on Taiwan’s Matsu island chain, Taiwanese authorities are looking for other opportunities. Their sudden change of mind might have something to do with China threatening not to let citizens travel to Taiwan purely to gamble.

Introducing new casino plans

Taiwanese lawmakers now fear that the Matsu casino plan is too risky, but they came up with an alternative: the Taoyuan Aerotropolis project. County officials are organizing a conference to introduce their plans to gambling investors.

Local government advisor Li Wei Feng is well aware that legalizing gambling in Taiwan is the first step, but told the press: “We can start the planning on the non-gambling elements first. It is quite easy to transform from non-gambling to gambling.”

According to Li, officials are looking for more than just “a block of casinos”. The new resort would have to follow the Singapore model and offer visitors several entertainment options.

With internet gambling in Taiwan being also illegal, players have no choice but to travel to areas where casinos are allowed. Any gambling-related project would be more than welcome both by Taiwanese players and by gamblers across China.