RWS casino licence only renewed for 2 years as tourism performance 'unsatisfactory'

The casino licence of Resorts World Sentosa (RWS) has been renewed for a period of two years instead of the usual three, after its tourism performance was assessed to be "unsatisfactory" by an evaluation panel.

The Gambling Regulatory Authority (GRA) announced in a Nov. 18 statement that the renewal of RWS' licence will be in effect from Feb. 6, 2025.

The licence is typically granted on a three-year basis.

The decision was made after RWS' integrated resort was evaluated under Section 45A of the Casino Control Act (CCA), which allows for a panel to assess criteria such as visitor appeal, ability to meet prevailing market demand, and contribution to the tourism industry in Singapore.

An evaluation panel appointed by the Minister for Trade and Industry assessed that RWS’s tourism performance for the period of evaluation from Jan. 1, 2021 to Dec. 31, 2023 was "unsatisfactory", with a number of areas that require rectification and substantial improvement, GRA said.

The panel recommended for the next evaluation to be carried out in 2026.

GRA said it also took into account the views of the Ministry of Trade & Industry (MTI), Singapore Tourism Board (STB) and Sentosa Development Corporation (SDC).

GRA said in closing that it will continue to work with MTI, STB, and SDC, to ensure that RWS meets the requirement to develop, maintain and promote its integrated resort as a compelling tourist destination.

RWS' response

In response to GRA's announcement, Genting Singapore, RWS's operator said in a Nov. 18 statement that the tourism industry in Singapore in general, including RWS, faced "very significant challenges" during the 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," the operator added.

RWS is in the midst of a S$6.8 billion expansion, titled "RWS 2.0", which is slated for completion in 2030.

When complete, it will feature a 88m-tall light sculpture, two luxury hotels, and a scenic “mountain trail” that takes visitors through Sentosa, The Straits Times reported.

The expansion will also see the existing RWS property expanded by about 50 per cent, with more than 164,000 sqm to be added.

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