Singapore's two casinos have succeeded in attracting a lot of publicity and hundreds of thousands of punters in their first few weeks but there appear to be some worrying early signs.Well, according to initial soundings by some analysts and a report in today's government-controlled Straits Times, they may have a problem on both counts. Citing a number of analysts, the Straits Times claims that the bulk of the gamblers at the two casinos are Singaporean citizens and permanent residents, who have to pay a S$100 ($72) daily or S$2,000 ($1,435) annual levy to play the tables.
This represents a potential financial concern because analysts believe the local players are mostly gambling relatively small amounts. The casinos need to attract the likes of the big-betting Chinese officials and businessmen who flock to Macau, even if strict Singapore regulations have made it difficult for them to bring in these high rollers. Full Story
