GGRAsia – Singapore casinos see some non-gaming capacity loosened

Singapore casinos see some non-gaming capacity loosened

Aug 20, 2021 Newsdesk Latest News, Singapore, Top of the deck

Singapore’s two casino complexes – Resorts World Sentosa and Marina Bay Sands – have since Thursday (August 19) been allowed to boost guest capacity at a number of their operating non-gaming attractions to 50 percent of pre-pandemic levels, from a previous 25 percent of capacity, according to information provided to GGRAsia by the properties’ operators, in response to our enquiries.

The new capacity cap coincides with the city-state having concluded a series of community countermeasures regarding Covid-19, that ran from July 22 to August 18, and that were referred to as “Phase 2 (Heightened Alert)”.

A Resorts World Sentosa spokesperson told GGRAsia by email in response to our enquiry: “Resorts World Sentosa’s theme parks will operate at 50 percent capacity” from Thursday. “There are systems and processes in place to monitor attendance to the various attractions,” the message added. The casino resort complex is operated by Genting Singapore Ltd, a subsidiary of Malaysian conglomerate Genting Bhd.

Rival Singapore property Marina Bay Sands said in its response to GGRAsia that its operating attractions – the ArtScience Museum, Digital Light Canvas, SkyPark Observation Deck, and Sampan Rides – had been operating at a 50-percent capacity since Thursday. The gaming resort’s parent company is United States-based Las Vegas Sands Corp, which also has casino operations in Macau, via its unit Sands China Ltd.

Singapore Tourism Board announced the easing of several safety management measures for leisure attractions with effect from Thursday. The government body is also responsible for monitoring the response of the city-state’s casino resorts to Covid-19 risk management.

Eased rules flagged by the tourism board include that the maximum capacity for indoor and outdoor shows can be increased to 1,000 people, provided either that all attendees are fully vaccinated, or that those individuals have respectively obtained a ‘negative’ Covid-19 screening result via a test taken within 24 hours of the expected finish time of the event.

Marina Bay Sands’ operator directed GGRAsia to information on the venue’s casino website. It said prevailing safe distancing measures adopted for the gaming floors included not more than four patrons per gaming table, and spacing of at least 1 metre (3.3 feet) between patrons at slot machines or electronic table games.

At Resorts World Sentosa, a property spokesperson told GGRAsia via email that the venue required guests and dealers each to wear a face mask, with a limit on the number of players per gaming table. The reply did not specify the player limit.

But Resorts World Sentosa noted to GGRAsia that its gaming floors had been installed with with it termed acrylic “safety shields” coated in antimicrobial material, with such shields present at all gaming tables and gaming machines. “Standing bets” would be “accepted at table games under prevailing safety management measures,” Resorts World Sentosa’s spokesperson added.

Both Singapore gaming resorts have said via their respective casino websites that the gaming floors have “HEPA” – high-efficiency particulate air – filters for efficient circulation of air in those areas.