Casinos have "no adverse impact" on law & order

SINGAPORE: There has been no adverse impact on law and order in Singapore with the opening of the two casinos in the Republic, said the government in a comprehensive consultation paper on proposed changes to the existing Casino Control Act.

It explained that for 2010 and 2011, crime reported in the casinos comprised less than 1 per cent of overall crime.

Most of the reported cases were petty in nature, with very few linked to organised crime elements.

The government said together with the operators, it will continue to stay vigilant and spare no effort to stamp out crime in the casinos.

It also explained that the two integrated resorts (IRs) have added a wide array of attractions and amenities to the local tourism landscape.

New attractions such as the MBS Skypark and RWS’s Universal Studios, celebrity chef restaurants and museums are some examples.

In addition, the IRs offer more than 33,500 square metres of MICE space and over 4,000 hotel rooms, increasing capacity to host international visitors.

The government noted that the growth of the tourism sector has been strong.

Singapore welcomed 13.2 million visitor arrivals and S$22.3 billion in Tourism Receipts in 2011 alone.

While the IRs played a substantive part in this growth, the recovery of the global economy and the new tourism offerings like the F1 Grand Prix and events such as Art Stage and Asian Fashion Week have contributed as well.

Turning to employment, the government said about 22,000 employees, mostly locals, are hired by the IRs.

The presence of the IRs support more than 40,000 jobs throughout the economy, including a wide number of sectors such as retail, F&B and transportation.

Local companies too continue to benefit from the presence of the IRs.

The majority of the IRs’ outsourcing or procurement contracts were secured by the local Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) in areas such as floral services, show set and prop design, laundry, catering, transportation and security.

Singapore’s Integrated Resorts (IRs) — Marina Bay Sands (MBS) and Resort World Sentosa (RWS) were opened in 2010.

— CNA/cc