Roulette in Singapore
Two integrated resorts, a S$150 entry levy for residents and one of the strictest online regimes anywhere.
Singapore legalized casinos in 2005 and opened Marina Bay Sands and Resorts World Sentosa in 2010. Both run single-zero roulette and large electronic stadiums. Citizens and permanent residents pay a daily or annual levy to enter. Online casino play is prohibited; only the state operator is exempt.
The land picture
Singapore debated casinos for decades and approved two in 2005 as part of “integrated resorts” with hotels, convention halls and attractions. Marina Bay Sands (Las Vegas Sands) and Resorts World Sentosa (Genting) opened in 2010 under a duopoly that has since been extended into the 2030s in exchange for expansion commitments. Both floors run European-style single-zerowheelZeroThe single green pocket that no even-money, dozen or column bet covers; the source of the house edge. Also: single zero, 0.Read full → roulette at live tables and electronic stadiums with hundreds of seats.
The entry levy
Singapore citizens and permanent residents pay S$150 for 24 hours or S$3,000 for a year to enter either casino; the levy was S$100 and S$2,000 until 2019. Foreigners enter free with a passport. The levy is the government’s way of letting tourists gamble while discouraging residents, and it works: the casinos are majority-tourist. Family members can apply to exclude a relative, and about a quarter of a million people are under some exclusion order.
Online
The Gambling Control Act 2022 consolidated the law: remote gambling is illegal unless the operator holds a license, and the only licensed operator is Singapore Pools (lottery and sports). Offshore casino sites are blocked and advertising is prosecuted. A resident playing roulette online is breaking the law, with the operator beyond Singapore’s reach if anything goes wrong.
Regulation and the player
The Gambling Regulatory Authority (formerly the Casino Regulatory Authority) licenses the two casinos, certifies equipment, and runs the exclusion registers. Entry is 21 and over. The National Council on Problem Gambling runs the helpline and self-exclusion. Dress is smart casual; the atmosphere is quiet and well staffed.
Parliament approves two integrated resorts after a long debate.
Resorts World Sentosa opens in February; Marina Bay Sands in April.
Entry levy raised to S$150 / S$3,000; duopoly extended to 2030 with S$9 billion of expansion commitments.
Gambling Control Act and Gambling Regulatory Authority replace the 2006 framework.
Advice for a visitor
Bring a passport. Expect single-zero wheels at 2.70%, no la partageruleLa partageFrench rule: when zero hits, half of an even-money stake is returned. Halves the house edge on those bets to 1.35%.Read full →, polite dealers calling in English, and a very large electronic stadium if the live minimums are too high. Tipping is not customary. If you are a resident, the levy is a real cost: S$150 is about 110 spins’ expected lossmathExpected lossExpected value times total amount wagered; the average amount lost over a session or a period.Read full → at S$50 a spin before you place a chipmoneyChipA token representing a fixed amount, placed on the layout to make a bet. Also: check.Read full →.
Help lines by country
Questions
Yes: single zero, standard payoutsmoneyPayoutWhat a winning bet returns, quoted as “X to 1” on top of the returned stake.Read full →, electronic stadiums with identical odds.
Not legally. Singapore Pools does not offer casino games, and everything else is an offense.
The 2005 decision was for exactly two, and the duopoly has been extended in exchange for investment. More licenses are not currently planned.
Comic relief
The entrance fee is the house edge, paid in advance.
Sources
- Gambling Regulatory Authority of Singapore.
- Gambling Control Act 2022.
- Schwartz, D. G. Roll the Bones: The History of Gambling.