High casino entry fees haven’t stopped gamblers from visiting the two casino resorts in Singapore, Resorts World Sentosa, a Genting property, and Marina Bay Sands, run by the Las Vegas Sands Corp. Since the two resorts opened in 2010, the city-state has reaped S1.3 billion (US$954 million) in entrance fees from citizens and permanent residents (tourists enter for free).
Last month, the government raised the entry fees from S$100 to S$150 a day and from S$2,000 to S$3,000 a year.
“The daily and annual entry levies serve to deter casual and impulse gambling by locals and are part of a holistic suite of social safeguards,” said Minister for Manpower Josephine Teo. “Between 2010 and 2018, the number of local visitors to the casinos declined by 50 percent.”
According to the Straits Times, based on the National Council on Problem Gambling’s Gambling Participation Survey done every three years, the probable problem and pathological gambling rate of Singapore residents fell from 2.6 percent in 2011 to 0.9 percent in 2017.
Teo said the annual fees are favored by “affluent individuals who want to visit casinos often.” She added that local exclusion orders are impenetrable. “If you’re under the exclusion order, then no amount that you offer will get you through.”
In April, the Singapore government agreed to extend the exclusive licenses for LVS and Genting until 2030 after they pledged to invest a total of S$9 billion (US$6.6 billion) in additional tourism attractions. LVS will build a fourth tower and a new entertainment center at Marina Bay Sands, reported Bloomberg News. Genting Singapore Ltd.’s Resorts World will construct two new theme zones and expand its aquarium.
To beef up gaming revenues, the government also will permit the operators to increase their gaming areas. Marina Bay Sands has the option to expand its gaming area from 15,000 square meters (161,000 square feet) to 17,000 square meters (183,000 square feet) and add 1,000 more gaming machines. Resorts World can add an extra 500 square meters (5.400 square feet) and 800 more machines.
