Asia is poised to eclipse the United States as the world’s biggest gaming market in 2013, powered by the region’s growing economic prosperity and fondness for gambling, a report said yesterday.

The gaming sector will be driven by crown jewel Macau – which has revenues larger than the whole of the US state of Nevada – and newcomer Singapore, PricewaterhouseCoopers said in its annual outlook.

Revenue Asia is forecast to more than double from $34.3 billion in 2010 to $79.3 billion in 2015 – representing compound growth of 18.3 per cent annually, the report said.

“With this projection, the Asia-Pacific region looks set to overtake the US in 2013 to become the largest region for casino gaming in the world,” it said.

According to PWC, gaming revenues in the US – which includes Las Vegas and the huge East Coast gaming centre of Atlantic City – are tipped to grow just five per cent annually to $73.3 billion from 2010 to 2015.

Globally, the gaming market is seen expanding 9.2 per cent every year until 2015, with revenues rising to $182.8 billion, PWC said, adding that Asia will account for 43.4 per cent of the total and the US making up 40.1 per cent.

“Asia Pacific will be the fastest-growing region for casino gaming spending over the coming five years,” said PWC. The main driver of Asia’s growth is Macau, the southern Chinese city that last year overtook the gambling state of Nevada – which includes Las Vegas – while Singapore is also attracting huge crowds since opening its first two casinos last year.

Thanks largely to those two centres, gaming income in Asia rose a stunning 49.7 per cent year on year in 2010 to $34.28 billion. In 2010, revenues globally grew 9.6 per cent mostly thanks to the buoyant markets in Asia, which made up for the declines seen in Europe, the Middle East and Africa, PWC said.

The United States remains the world’s biggest gaming market for now but the dramatic growth seen in Asia will see the region occupying the top spot within the next 24 months, PWC said.