Crossword Genius

Mother meets copper outside a popular gambling centre (5)

Ross

I believe the answer is:

macau

I'm a little stuck... Click here to teach me more about this clue!

'popular gambling centre' is the definition.
The definition suggests a singular noun which matches the answer. I also know that 'gambling' relates to this answer.

'mother meets copper outside a' is the wordplay.
'mother' becomes 'ma' (Ma is another word for mother or mum).
'meets' says to put letters next to each other.
'copper' becomes 'cu' (chemical symbol).
'outside' is an insertion indicator.
'cu' enclosing 'a' is 'cau'.
'ma'+'cau'='MACAU'

Can you help me to learn more?

(Other definitions for macau that I've seen before include "Part of China" , "somewhere in China" , "region of China" , "Small peninsula in China, a Portuguese territory until 1999" , "SW of 24 [SHANGHAI]" .)

I've seen this clue in The Independent.
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