Singapore’s Gambling Regulatory Authority (GRA) has renewed the casino licence of Resorts World at Sentosa Pte. Ltd (RWS) for another two years, effective from 6 February 2025.
However, the regulator described RWS’s tourism performance in the period from 1 January 2021 to 31 December 2023 as “unsatisfactory” with a number of areas that require rectification and substantial improvement.
In a statement, the GRA said it had considered, as per Section 45 of the Casino Control Act 2006 (CCA), the ability of RWS to develop, maintain and promote its integrated resort as a compelling tourist destination that meets prevailing market demand and industry standards.
It also considered the independent opinion of the Evaluation Panel appointed by the Minister for Trade and Industry under Section 45A of the CCA and the views of the Ministry of Trade & Industry, Singapore Tourism Board and Sentosa Development Corporation.
The Evaluation Panel, it explained, had ultimately determined the tourism performance of RWS as unsatisfactory and therefore recommended a short two-year license extension with the next evaluation be carried out in two years, in 2026.
“Under Regulation 5 of the Casino Control (Casino Licence and Fees) Regulations 2009, GRA may specify a licence term shorter than three years,” the GRA said. “Having considered the matters in Section 45 of the CCA, including the opinion of the Evaluation Panel, GRA has renewed RWS’s casino licence for two years, with effect from 6 February 2025.
“GRA will continue to work with the Ministry of Trade & Industry, Singapore Tourism Board and Sentosa Development Corporation to ensure that RWS meets the requirement to develop, maintain and promote its IR as a compelling tourist destination.”
In a statement of its own, RWS operator Genting Singapore said the IR had faced “very significant challenges during this evaluation period which coincided with the global pandemic. RWS continues to accelerate its transformation to refresh and rejuvenate existing offerings to deepen its destination appeal and visitor experiences. With its RWS 2.0 expansion plans underway, RWS is dedicated to maintaining its status as the premier lifestyle tourism destination.”
As reported by Inside Asian Gaming, RWS broke ground on its US$5 billion RWS 2.0 expansion project last Friday. The development will add around 700 hotel keys to the RWS offering and form what Genting describes as a “monumental gateway to RWS and the new Greater Southern Waterfront precinct.”
The broader RWS 2.0 expansion will also see Universal Studios Singapore updated with a new immersive themed zone, Illumination’s Minion Land, while the S.E.A. Aquarium will triple in size and be rebranded as the Singapore Oceanarium. The main outdoor Forum area will also be transformed, with this, Minion Land and the Singapore Oceanarium expected to soft open in early 2025.
