Macau, the gambling centre of China, has overtaken Switzerland as the world's fourth richest territory per person according to figures from the World Bank.

Swelling numbers of tourists and gamblers from mainland China helped drive gross domestic product per capita in the former Portuguese colony up by 18% in 2013 to £53,227.

It overtook Switzerland, where GDP per capita rose by 2% in 2013 to £46,946.

Luxembourg, Norway and Qatar retained the top three slots, while the UK was the world's 21st wealthiest place per person, unchanged from 2012. GDP per capita increased by 1.8% to £22,939.

The US ranked 10th last year, with GDP per capita at £30,979.

Macau – the only place in China where gambling is legal – had a population of just 566,400 in 2013 but GDP totalled £30.16bn thanks to huge gaming revenues that dwarf those of Las Vegas. However, amid a crackdown on corruption among China's government officials by president Xi Jinping, casino bosses in Macau are investing in lavish resorts, high-end shopping malls, and elaborate stage shows as the region tries to diversify into a more family-friendly tourist destination.

Macau was returned to China in 1999, shortly after Hong Kong was handed back in 1997 following 150 years of British control.

It is home to more than 30 casinos, including the world's largest, the Venetian Macau – which had an estimated 120,000 visitors a day over the 2013 Christmas period.

The region is benefiting from the swelling middle classes in China as the wealth and influence of the world's second largest economy continues to rise. About 17 million tourists from mainland China visited Macau last year, compared with just 800,000 in 1999.

About half of all visitors stay for just 24 hours, and the average bet placed is estimated to be at least £60.