A massage parlor is a business where customers can receive a massage.

Sometimes the term is synonymous with brothel as the term “massage” may be used as a euphemism for paid sexual favours. Due to the opposition against prostitution in some countries, the brothel business runners decided to hide their services under the term called “message parlor”.

Particularly where brothels (practice of prostitution) are illegal, massage parlours (as well as saunas, spas or similar establishments) may be fronts for places of prostitution. 

Illegal brothels disguised and functioning as massage parlours are common in the United States, UK, Canada, Australia, South Korea, Malaysia, Singapore, Philippines, UAE and many other countries.

Alternatively the massage may have a “happy ending”, meaning that it ends with the client being masturbated, thus providing a light version of prostitution. However, not all massage parlors are involved in prostitution.

Even though Thailand is rather well known for its unique spa experience and particularly healthy and non-sexual traditional Thai massage, this section refers to a different type of massage parlor commonly associated with the term in Thailand, Sexual massage.