Asian Economic News: Singapore drops opposition to casino

SINGAPORE, March 13 Kyodo

The Singapore government has softened its longstanding opposition to the establishment of a casino in the city-state, apparently in a bid to woo foreign tourists and investment.

Singapore Trade and Industry Minister George Yeo told parliament Friday that the government is now open to the idea of a casino as part of a lavish plan to develop Singapore's Sentosa island theme park into a world-class resort.

''We are keeping an open mind on what to have in this development, including the possibility of having a casino,'' he said in a speech made available late Friday.

Some business people in Singapore, especially the tourist industry, had for years pushed for a casino to entice tourists to Singapore amid fierce competition for the tourist dollar from other Southeast Asian countries that have shored up their tourism infrastructure.

But the government had always rejected the idea, citing concerns of a negative impact on a country where gambling -- from mahjong to the stock market -- is almost a national passion.

Yeo gave no reason for the new policy but assured that safeguards will be in place.

''Of course if we decide to have a casino, we will need to put in place control measures to limit its access by Singaporeans and make sure that there is no organized crime,'' he said.

Singapore has in the past year tried to shed its straitlaced regulated image by liberalizing longstanding rules such as scrapping bans on bartop dancing and bungee jumping, and allowing bars to remain open around the clock.

Several of Singapore's Southeast Asian neighbors already have casinos, including neighboring Malaysia, which has a casino at its Genting highlands resort.

Those who favor a casino believe it could help Singapore compete for the tourist dollar especially at a time when the country is under threat of losing its luster as a shopping destination to other lower-cost countries in the region.