In his landmark book “Mao’s Great Famine,” University of Hong Kong Professor Frank Dikötter exposes the world for the first time to official Chinese government archives documenting Chairman Mao Zedong’s Great Leap Forward. Until 2010 these archives were kept entirely secret. What happened between the years of 1958 and 1962 is almost indescribable in its horror. 600 million Chinese were turned into a giant army, collectivized into the largest and most complete experiment in pure communism the world has ever seen.

With the State controlling every part of production from the field to transport to storage, the economy became so inefficient and disorganized that between 45 and 55 million people were killed and/or died of starvation, and this is just within that four year period. The details are in the book for those who can handle it, but there is one line from Dikötter that needs to be understood for those still looking for a Macau bottom. The professor asks the crucial question, Why didn’t a credible threat to the ruling communist party ever materialize, especially in the midst of such carnage? He answers:

A common conviction in imperial times [in China] was that the emperor was benevolent, but his servants could be corrupt. Even more so in the People’s Republic, the population had to reconcile a vision of utopia trumpeted by the media with the everyday reality of catastrophe on the ground. The belief that cadres who were abusive failed to carry out the orders of a beneficent Chairman was widespread. A distant entity called ’the government’ and a semi-god called ‘Mao’ were on the side of good.  If only he knew, everything would be different.

At a news conference back in December, Las Vegas Sands CEO Sheldon Adelson was quoted as saying a 2016 turnaround for Macau was imminent. “We are at the beginning of the shift in the cycle from a recession-type economy to a bottoming out,” he said, and I think the economy and Macau’s fortunes will turn around.”

The European Union doesn’t see any need to regulate the “hyped” virtual currencies. At least, not yet.

Digital currencies are largely self-regulated and not backed by a central bank, making it popular as an alternative to fiat currency. However, the collapse of bitcoin exchange Mt. Gox in 2014 raised the issue of consumer protection in the experimental sector.

Bitcoin has also gotten a bad rap in 2013 after authorities in the United States uncovered Silk Road, a notorious “deep web” operation known for allowing its users to buy and sell drugs and other transactions involving a wide range of illegal practices, including hiring hitmen, using virtual currency.

The attack on Paris—in which hackers claimed terrorists used Bitcoin to fund the operation—hasn’t helped either, and only sparked renewed debates on the potential of digital currencies to be used to finance terrorism and money laundering.

The European Union doesn’t see any need to regulate the “hyped” virtual currencies. At least, not yet.

Digital currencies are largely self-regulated and not backed by a central bank, making it popular as an alternative to fiat currency. However, the collapse of bitcoin exchange Mt. Gox in 2014 raised the issue of consumer protection in the experimental sector.

Bitcoin has also gotten a bad rap in 2013 after authorities in the United States uncovered Silk Road, a notorious “deep web” operation known for allowing its users to buy and sell drugs and other transactions involving a wide range of illegal practices, including hiring hitmen, using virtual currency.

The attack on Paris—in which hackers claimed terrorists used Bitcoin to fund the operation—hasn’t helped either, and only sparked renewed debates on the potential of digital currencies to be used to finance terrorism and money laundering.

Rosy days ahead for the casino gaming market in the United States.

A new study by market research firm Technavio forecast that the U.S. casino market will see a moderate growth rate over the next four years, culminating in revenues that could reach at least $93 billion by 2020.

“The tourism industry in the country has recovered since the end of the economic recession, growing at a CAGR of over 7 percent until 2015,” said Faizan Akthar, Technavio’s lead market research analyst for media and entertainment, in a statement.

Akthar said casinos in the United States have already started adopting alternate methods to increase their customer base and look beyond the country for expansion. According to the analyst, casinos are collaborating with luxury hotels to offer entertainment options, placing slot machines at restaurants, bars and other attractions that are within reach of potential customers.

Rosy days ahead for the casino gaming market in the United States.

A new study by market research firm Technavio forecast that the U.S. casino market will see a moderate growth rate over the next four years, culminating in revenues that could reach at least $93 billion by 2020.

“The tourism industry in the country has recovered since the end of the economic recession, growing at a CAGR of over 7 percent until 2015,” said Faizan Akthar, Technavio’s lead market research analyst for media and entertainment, in a statement.

Akthar said casinos in the United States have already started adopting alternate methods to increase their customer base and look beyond the country for expansion. According to the analyst, casinos are collaborating with luxury hotels to offer entertainment options, placing slot machines at restaurants, bars and other attractions that are within reach of potential customers.