An outlook report on the Singapore and Malaysia casino markets from Fitch Ratings has stated that the Singapore government is “unlikely” to grant new licences for casinos after 2017.
The reasons are the “potentially higher frequency of problem gaming with the local population and the muted outlook for the inbound tourism sector in Singapore.”
The city-state issued casino licences in 2007 to Las Vegas Sands and to Genting Singapore to operate one gaming resort each, namely Marina Bay Sands and Resorts World Sentosa. The exclusivity period for those licences expires in 2017.
In May last year Lee Yi Shyan, Senior Minister of State for Trade and Industry, said in Singapore’s parliament that the city had “no plans” currently to offer additional casino licences when the moratorium on such licences expires.
