• Subscribe
  • Magazines
  • About
  • Contact
  • Advertise
Friday 29 August 2025
  • zh-hant 中文
  • ja 日本語
  • en English
IAG
Advertisement
  • Newsfeed
  • Mag Articles
  • Video
  • Opinion
  • Tags
  • Regional
    • Africa
    • Australia
    • Cambodia
    • China
    • CNMI
    • Europe
    • Hong Kong
    • India
    • Japan
    • Laos
    • Latin America
    • Malaysia
    • Macau
    • Nepal
    • New Zealand
    • North America
    • North Korea
    • Philippines
    • Russia
    • Singapore
    • South Korea
    • Sri Lanka
    • Thailand
    • UAE
    • Vietnam
  • Events
  • Contributors
  • SUBSCRIBE FREE
  • 中文
No Result
View All Result
IAG
  • Newsfeed
  • Mag Articles
  • Video
  • Opinion
  • Tags
  • Regional
    • Africa
    • Australia
    • Cambodia
    • China
    • CNMI
    • Europe
    • Hong Kong
    • India
    • Japan
    • Laos
    • Latin America
    • Malaysia
    • Macau
    • Nepal
    • New Zealand
    • North America
    • North Korea
    • Philippines
    • Russia
    • Singapore
    • South Korea
    • Sri Lanka
    • Thailand
    • UAE
    • Vietnam
  • Events
  • Contributors
  • SUBSCRIBE FREE
  • 中文
No Result
View All Result
IAG
No Result
View All Result

10 Years Ago – Singapore’s super model

Ben Blaschke by Ben Blaschke
Wed 29 Jan 2025 at 00:34
10 Years Ago – Singapore’s super model
11
SHARES
287
VIEWS
Print Friendly, PDF & Email

In this regular feature in IAG to celebrate 19 years covering the Asian gaming and leisure industry, we look back at our cover story from exactly 10 years ago, “Singapore’s super model”, to rediscover what was making the news in February 2015!

Thai authorities have made no secret of the fact that the push to legalize casino gaming is driven by a desire to emulate the enormous success of Singapore’s integrated resorts. But they are far from first to the party in that regard.

A decade ago this month, IAG celebrated the five-year anniversary of the Singapore IR openings with a deep dive cover story titled “Singapore’s super model” in which we noted that, even in those early days, jurisdictions across Asia were already trying to copy Singapore’s playbook.

“Singapore’s integrated-resort model has inspired governments across Asia seeking a boost in tourist arrivals and tax revenue,” we wrote at the time.

“It’s seen as the inspiration for the South Korean government’s licensing of four US$1 billion-plus integrated resorts at Incheon, on the doorstep of the nation’s gateway airport. It’s spurred development in Manila, where four IRs with a combined price tag above US$5 billion are creating the biggest casino cluster between Macau and Las Vegas, and Vietnam, where the government has authorized multibillion-dollar resorts and is considering lifting the ban on its citizens gambling at casinos within its borders, perhaps replacing the ban with a Singapore-style entry levy on locals.”

Spectrum Asia’s Paul Bromberg told IAG in 2015: “Many [foreign] government officials visit the IRs in Singapore and think ‘We want this in our country’ [although] they go home and find it’s not that easy. It takes a lot of government will and years of behind-the-scenes planning. Four years before the IRs opened, Singapore was working hard on their development and regulation.”

Nevertheless, it was Singapore, noted veteran gaming executive Terence Tay, that “started a trend where you can have a casino and have law and order [too].”

The big question back in 2015 was of course whether Singapore’s IRs could maintain their early momentum, and whether those jurisdictions looking to emulate their unique model would also work.

On the latter, the jury is out: the foreigner-only models employed in South Korea and Vietnam are limiting to say the least, while it would be ambitious to describe the Philippines’ regulatory regime as being as rigorous as Singapore’s. Perhaps the UAE, which recently issued its first casino license to Wynn Resorts, looms as the most likely to offer something similar.

But when it comes to momentum, there is no doubting the fact that Singapore continues to produce results for government and operators alike. In fact, the biggest challenge for Marina Bay Sands and Resorts World Sentosa has been capacity constraints, which is why they are investing a combined US$13 billion on massive expansion projects that will add new hotel inventory, gaming space and even more non-gaming attractions.

MBS, long-touted as the most profitable casino in the world, will invest US$8 billion alone into its expansion project, including the addition of a fourth hotel tower to its existing iconic façade. That’s not exactly pocket change, but with forecasts of US$3 billion in annual EBITDA, it seems the Singapore investment will again be money well spent.

Tags: 10 years agoCurrent IssueSingapore
Share4Share1
Ben Blaschke

Ben Blaschke

A former sports journalist in Sydney, Australia, Ben has been Managing Editor of Inside Asian Gaming since early 2016. He played a leading role in developing and launching IAG Breakfast Briefing in April 2017 and oversees as well as being a key contributor to all of IAG’s editorial pursuits.

Current Issue

Editorial – Flipping the script

Editorial – Flipping the script

by Ben Blaschke
Thu 28 Aug 2025 at 12:30

This month represents an important milestone for Inside Asian Gaming as we launch IAG EXPO – an expansion of the...

Asia market roundup

Asia market roundup

by Ben Blaschke
Thu 28 Aug 2025 at 12:26

Inside Asian Gaming takes a deep dive into the state of Asia-Pacific’s key gaming markets: who’s hot, who’s not and...

Rewriting the rules

Rewriting the rules

by Newsdesk
Thu 28 Aug 2025 at 11:43

IAG EXPO, taking place at Newport World Resorts from 8 to 10 September, is not your usual trade show. IAG...

Test of character

Test of character

by Newsdesk
Thu 28 Aug 2025 at 11:28

Since its establishment in 1989, Gaming Laboratories International (GLI) has developed into the world’s most trusted name when it comes...

Evolution Asia
Your browser does not support HTML5 video.
Aristocrat
GLI
Nustar
SABA
Mindslot
Solaire
Hann
Tecnet
HKUST
NWR

Related Posts

Asia market roundup

Asia market roundup

by Ben Blaschke
Thu 28 Aug 2025 at 12:26

Inside Asian Gaming takes a deep dive into the state of Asia-Pacific’s key gaming markets: who’s hot, who’s not and where will the surprises come from in the near-term? The pandemic years are now a distant memory, and the Asia-Pacific...

Test of character

Test of character

by Newsdesk
Thu 28 Aug 2025 at 11:28

Since its establishment in 1989, Gaming Laboratories International (GLI) has developed into the world’s most trusted name when it comes to testing and certifying products for the gaming industry. Marina Wong, General Manager of GLI Asia Since the company was...

Curating Culture

Curating Culture

by Newsdesk
Thu 28 Aug 2025 at 11:04

Wynn welcomed Art Macao 2025 by launching the special exhibition “Hello China, Hello Macao – The Odyssey of Jingdezhen Porcelain: A Heritage Voyage from Macao to the World” – the first flagship project under cultural brand “Wynn Culture”. The “Art...

10 Years Ago – The 2015 Asian Gaming Power 50

10 Years Ago – The 2015 Asian Gaming Power 50

by Ben Blaschke
Thu 28 Aug 2025 at 10:57

In this regular feature in IAG to celebrate 20 years covering the Asian gaming and leisure industry, we look back at our cover story from exactly 10 years ago, “The Asian Gaming Power 50”, to rediscover what was making the...

Your browser does not support the video tag.


IAG

© 2005-2025
Inside Asian Gaming.
All rights reserved.

  • SUBSCRIBE FREE
  • NEWSFEED
  • MAG ARTICLES
  • VIDEO
  • OPINION
  • TAGS
  • REGIONAL
  • EVENTS
  • CONSULTING
  • CONTRIBUTORS
  • MAGAZINES
  • ABOUT
  • CONTACT
  • ADVERTISE
  • 中文

Welcome Back!

Login to your account below

Forgotten Password?

Retrieve your password

Please enter your username or email address to reset your password.

Log In

Add New Playlist

No Result
View All Result
  • 中文
  • Subscribe
  • Newsfeed
  • Mag Articles
  • Video
  • Opinion
  • Tags
  • Regional
  • Events
  • Contributors
  • Magazines
  • Advertise
  • Contact
  • About
  • Home for G2E Asia

© 2005-2025
Inside Asian Gaming.
All rights reserved.

  • 中文
  • English