Key points:
- Resorts World Sentosa has received a two-year licence renewal
- The Singapore Gambling Regulatory Authority has specified improvements at the casino are required
- A follow up operational evaluation will take place in 2026
Following a tourism performance evaluation, Resorts World Sentosa (RWS) has received just a two-year licence renewal from the Singaporean Gambling Regulatory Authority (GRA), which has stated that additional work is needed to bring the casino up to a higher standard.
The licence, which is typically granted on a three-year basis, has been granted following an extensive GRA consideration process, undertaken by an independent evaluation panel. As stated by the GRA, the panel has concluded that, “RWS’s tourism performance for the period of evaluation from 1 January 2021 to 31 December 2023 was unsatisfactory, with a number of areas that require rectification and substantial improvement.”
Subsequently, a follow up evaluation has been recommended by the panel in 2026, following on from the two-year license renewal. The RWS’s new licence will officially come into effect as of February 6, 2025. As part of the recent review, the views of the Ministry of Trade and Industry, Singapore Tourism Board and Sentosa Development Corporation, were also taken into consideration.
Good to know: In July, Resorts World Sentosa CEO, Tan Hee Teck, was elected as the Singapore employers’ federation president
In August, the nation also proposed a law which would fix casino entry levies for Singaporeans and permanent residents to S$150 (US$111.9) per day – and S$3,000 yearly. Later in the month, former Chinese bankers were arrested for money laundering charges in Singapore.
More recently, in September, the nation’s government amended its Casino Act to allow cashless gaming; despite emphasising that it has no plans for allowing cryptocurrencies.
