Singapore’s Resorts World Sentosa casino license renewed for only 2 years

By Dat Nguyen November 18, 2024 | 08:08 pm PT

Guests leave the lobby area of the Sentosa Resorts World Casino in Singapore April 8, 2013. Photo by Reuters

Singapore authorities have renewed the casino license for Resorts World Sentosa by only two years instead of the usual three due to its “unsatisfactory” performance.

The Gambling Regulatory Authority said in a news release Monday that an independent evaluation panel has found the performance of the facility between 2021 and 2023 "unsatisfactory", with a number of areas that require rectification and substantial improvement.

The renewal will take effect in February next year. The next evaluation is expected to be carried out in 2026.

In a responding statement, the casino operator Genting Singapore said that the tourism industry in Singapore faced "significant challenges" during the evaluation period, which coincided with the Covid-19 pandemic.

"Resorts World Sentosa continues to accelerate its transformation to refresh and rejuvenate existing offerings to deepen its destination appeal and visitor experiences," said Genting’s company secretary Liew Lan Hing.

In December 2023, the gambling authority fined Resorts World Sentosa US$1.7 million for failing to perform due diligence checks.

Resorts World Sentosa is one of Singapore’s only two casinos. The other is Marina Bay Sands Casino.