Trusted Casino Malaysia first and only legal land-based casino is a pioneer of a new era of the industry for this Asian country that has never had casinos before. With the opening of Casino Melaka, it has started to open up possibilities to spin-offs from the casino industry such as hotels and golf courses. Casino Melaka has been built on a piece of land which used to be an oil palm estate located in Jalan Bukit Gambir KIO/43164 Ayer Keroh outside the city center. The casino is supposed to serve as a catalyst for tourism and entertainment. On the 26th of March, the grand opening of Casino Melaka was hosted by Malaysian Prime Minister, Datuk Seri Mohd. Najib Tun Razak.
The casino was built on the site of an old oil palm estate in Jalan Bukit Gambir KIO/43164 Ayer Keroh and opened on 26 March 2013. It comprises five floors and two basements, with a design concept that blends Eastern and Western cultures; it is constructed at a cost of 200 million Ringgit (approximately US$64.1 million). The building is designed by one of the world’s leading architects, FBP, the same company that created the 1,350 room Marina Bay Sands Hotel in Singapore. The total floor area of 1.3 million square feet (111,000 m2) is approximately 63 times larger than that of a typical five-star hotel in central Singapore. The casino’s facade is a mixture of traditional Malay architecture and modern glass and steel structures. One side consists of a traditional Malay house while another side incorporates a sleek modern foyer with a large gaming control center behind it.
The hotel is divided into four main areas:
The hotel’s gaming floor is a development of a Singapore Regional Integrated Resort (SRIR) and consists of two wings, each housing 50,000 square feet (5,700 m2) of online slot machines as well as 7 tables. The slot floor comprises 120 table games from 25 different providers.
Some of the world’s largest table game manufacturers are found at Melaka. The main gaming area is represented by IGT providing a wide range of products including their flagship craps game with the newly patented “Free Spin” feature. Other notable table games providers like Bally Technologies and Shuffle Master in addition to Aristocrat Leisure Limited in conjunction with patented RNG technology for their high-tech video poker machines. The table games area also houses several other video and video card tables besides an 8-lane baccarat table. The casino is equipped with a high-speed secure back-office linked to the main hotel computer system that provides constant information about all table games and players in real-time.
Casino Melaka’s main entrance is just opposite Malaysia’s first and only pure Gold White Rose Ballroom, which can accommodate up to 200 seated guests for dinner or up to 400 standing guests. Another entrance is located at the basement of the hotel providing direct access to Melaka Street where various eateries, bars, and shops are located. The main entrance is accessible through an underground tunnel through the hotel and at the end of this corridor is the gaming hall.
Just after the gaming floor is a sky bridge that provides direct access to an outdoor, two-tiered pool and spa area for guests of the hotel. The pool and spa area can accommodate up to 130 guests and it has an open-air section and a climate-controlled indoor section that features a Jacuzzi (Jacuzzi owners may avail themselves of free use of the spa area), pool table, steam room, sauna, solarium, relaxation lounge with a seating area as well as a fitness center with cardio equipment such as treadmills and rowing machines.