Singaporean Casino and Card Room Gaming

Casino gambling became legal with the passage of the 2004 Casino Control Act. It went into effect in 2005, ending a 40-year ban on gambling in the country. Casino gambling is overseen by the Ministry of Finance and the Casino Regulatory Authority (CRA). Before the passage of the Casino Control Act, Singapore did allow private clubs to operate slot machines. The clubs could have up to 200 machines depending on the number of members. Unlike casinos, slot clubs are regulated by the Inland Revenue Authority through the Private Lotteries Act. Singapore locals are subject to a casino entrance fee of SGD 100 a day or SGD 2,000 a year. The marketing casinos to residents of Singapore is outlawed, however.

The government encouraged the idea of "integrated resorts" where the gaming component occupies only 3% to 5% of the total area, with the rest of the development dedicated to leisure and entertainment. Ultimately, Las Vegas Sands and Genting International were chosen to develop Singapore's casino resorts. Wall Street gaming analysts speculated the gaming properties could generate in excess of USD 1.5 billion in annual revenues. These developments were the Marina Bay Sands and Resorts World Sentosa. The developers invested over USD 5 billion to build these properties. Both properties opened in spring 2010.

The CRA was established in April 2008 under the Casino Control Act as a statutory board. The objectives of the CRA are to administer systems for the licensing, supervision, and control of casinos. Its purpose is to ensure that the management and operation of casinos are free from criminal influence or exploitation and that gaming is conducted in an honest fashion.

In November 2012, the Casino Control Act was amended to create stricter penalties for casino operators for situations where they fail to comply with the law. Serious breaches of regulations can result in a fine of up to 10% of a casino's gross revenue for a fiscal year.

Operators are now required to have an approved responsible gambling program in place.