Las Vegas is known for casinos, neon lights and sprawling resorts in the desert. Southeast Asia has its own version, but this one is in the mountains
Genting Highlands sits in Malaysia’s Titiwangsa Mountains, at roughly 1,800 metres above sea level. It is often nicknamed the "Las Vegas of Southeast Asia" for its mix of casinos, entertainment and hotels.
A Casino Nobody Planned
Genting began in 1965 with Lim Goh Tong, who arrived in Malaya from China's Fujian province at 19 and worked his way up from carpenter to Class A contractor, according to Genting's corporate history.
The idea of a mountaintop resort came to him in 1964, while he was working on the hydroelectric project in the Cameron Highlands. Genting says he put all his savings into it at the age of 47.
The authorities approved his application to develop 6,000 hectares, and on August 8, 1965, he began building the access road to the summit of Ulu Kali. The 25.5 km access road from Genting Sempah to the peak of Ulu Kali opened in 1969. The first hotel, with 200 rooms, followed in 1971.
The casino was not part of the original plan, and the idea came from the government. At the foundation stone ceremony on March 31, 1969, Prime Minister Tunku Abdul Rahman said the government would consider a casino licence to further develop tourism in the remote area, according to Genting.
Lim later recalled that those words encouraged him to expand the planned hotel from 38 rooms to 200 immediately, according to a translation published by Cilisos. The outlet also reported that Home Affairs Minister Tun Dr Ismail Abdul Rahman supported the idea as a way to curb illegal gambling.
Genting records the licence as granted on April 28, 1969, Malaysia's first and only. Lim said it came six hours after he applied, because the Cabinet happened to be meeting that afternoon. The resort opened for business on May 8, 1971.
A Resort in The Clouds
Genting Malaysia describes Resorts World Genting as an integrated resort with about 10,500 rooms across seven hotels, alongside theme parks, restaurants, shops, shows and convention facilities.
One of them, the First World Hotel, reached 7,351 rooms in 2015 and regained its Guinness World Record as the world's largest hotel by room count. Guinness still lists it as the record holder. The family attractions arrived in stages. An indoor theme park opened in 1992, an outdoor one in 1994 and Genting SkyWorlds in 2022, per the company's timeline.
People below 21 and Malaysian Muslims are prohibited from entering the casino, according to Genting Malaysia. But the resort is not limited to gambling, with its hotels, theme parks, shows, restaurants and other attractions catering to non-gaming visitors as well.
Genting put annual visitors at 19.6 million in 2007. By 2025 the figure was 28.6 million, up 2 percent from 28.1 million a year earlier, according to Genting Malaysia's results.
The mountain setting was part of the original idea. Lim wanted a highland resort where people could enjoy the cool mountain air, Genting says, and the ASEAN Cultural Heritage publication places it about an hour's drive north of Kuala Lumpur. A 3.38 km cable car system, opened in 1997, also carries visitors up to the hilltop.
The resort is still adding attractions. Eufloria Gardens & Sculpture Park opened at mid-hill in 2026, after Resorts World Genting signed an agreement with Tourism Malaysia to support Visit Malaysia Year 2026. The resort describes its 3.7 acre greenhouse complex as Malaysia’s largest.
Malaysia's Only Casino
Genting's licence remains Malaysia's only casino licence and is renewable every three months, according to Genting's annual report. In May 2024, Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim said Malaysia did not need a second casino licence.
The “Las Vegas of Southeast Asia” label is a nickname, rather than an official title. Tourism operators such as Headout use the phrase for Casino de Genting, citing its combination of casino, entertainment facilities and hotels.
Genting has since made the connection more literal. Genting Berhad opened Resorts World Las Vegas on the Strip in June 2021, describing it as the first ground-up integrated resort built on the Las Vegas Strip since 2010.
