Total worldwide gambling revenue is set to pass US$155bn in 2012 after growing at an average rate of 6.5 per cent a year between now and then.

PricewaterhouseCoopers said in a report that revenue will rise from last year’s $114bn because of new casinos and upgrades of existing ones around the world.

The report identified the Asia-Pacific region as the world’s fastest growing gambling area, with new resorts in Macau, Singapore and Thailand helping to generate increases of 15.2 annually.