From high rollers to rollercoaster geeks, Singapore's IRs are reeling them in but is it enough to stay ahead?

oaring high at 200 metres and gleaming gold at sunset, the architectural marvel that is Marina Bay Sands (MBS) is at once a striking silhouette of Singapore’s skyline and a symbol of its riches.

While the integrated resort’s (IR) impressive facade and iconic SkyPark have drawn the rich and famous from overseas, its counterpart southwest of the island appeals more to tourists such as 43-year-old Australian Kacy McDonald and her family.

Videos of travel influencers screaming their lungs out on rollercoasters at Universal Studios Singapore (USS) and showing off their hauls from its novelty shops had captured the attention of Ms McDonald’s young children.

That's why Resorts World Sentosa (RWS), home to the USS theme park — and not the lavish MBS — was at the top of the list for the family's six-day holiday itinerary.

“I think Marina Bay is more for luxury and cocktails than family activities,” said the executive producer from Adelaide.

“The kids like the rides and going into gift shops, not Louis Vuitton.”

But far from being an indictment of MBS’ value and appeal, Ms McDonald’s remarks reflect Singapore’s strategy of differentiating each integrated resort’s purpose.

During then-Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong’s parliamentary statement in 2005 to propose the development of the IRs, he said that the two resorts were meant to complement each other by attracting different types of visitor.

MBS, with its excellent architectural design and business and convention facilities, would attract “MICE” visitors, those who come for meetings, incentive tours, conventions and exhibitions.

RWS, on the other hand, would attract families and tourists who are coming for a holiday.

Nearly 15 years have passed since the two multi-billion-dollar IRs opened their doors in 2010, and initial concerns about their casinos’ potentially undesirable impact on society have slowly faded from public consciousness.

Residents and tourists alike have taken to the Marina Bay skyline and embraced the vibrancy of Sentosa.

However, Resorts World Sentosa raised more than a few eyebrows last month after the Gambling Regulatory Authority (GRA) decided to renew RWS’s casino licence for just two years — instead of the usual three.

The GRA said that it had looked at RWS’ ability to develop, maintain and promote its integrated resort as a "compelling tourist destination that meets prevailing market demand and industry standards", among other factors.

In doing so, GRA said RWS' tourism performance from 2021 to 2023 was "unsatisfactory”, with a number of areas that required rectification and substantial improvement.

Experts told CNA that both large-scale refurbishments of the resort which led to significant closures, as well as the prospect of rivals emerging in other Asian countries, may have contributed to the negative rating given by the authorities.

RWS’ earnings may have also played a role in the integrated resort earning the “unsatisfactory” label. Genting Singapore, the parent company of RWS, recently posted a 63 per cent decrease in its profit for the third quarter (Q3) of 2024 compared to the corresponding period a year ago.

RWS’ recent lapses in performing customer due diligence checks on certain transactions at the casino were likely taken into consideration as well, said the experts.

As for MBS, its net revenue for Q3 had fallen 9.5 per cent to US$919 million, down from US$1 billion the previous year.

Amid a spate of less-than-positive news as the two integrated resorts approach their 15th anniversary, CNA TODAY examines how RWS and MBS have fared in line with their raison d'être, and whether they are well-placed to maintain their relevance in an increasingly IR-heavy region