Things to Know About Casinos in Singapore

The casino has its own block at the foot of the three hotel towers on Bayfront Avenue, spread over four levels and about two minutes from Bayfront MRT. You get the usual table games and a large bank of electronic machines, plus private rooms and a separate non-smoking area. Dress is smart casual, so leave the shorts and slippers at the hotel. The floor runs around the clock, and the mall, the museum and the SkyPark are all upstairs.

This was the first casino to open in Singapore, in February 2010, and it sits below Crockfords Tower inside the Resorts World complex on Sentosa. The floor is a similar size to the one at Marina Bay, but the setting is quite different, because you step out of it into a resort built around Universal Studios Singapore, an aquarium and a waterpark. That makes it the easier of the two for families. HarbourFront is the nearest MRT station.

Singapore charges its own citizens and permanent residents an entry levy at both casinos, payable either per visit or as an annual pass. Foreign visitors, Indian tourists included, do not pay it. What you do need is your passport at the door, because entry is decided on your immigration status. The levy has been revised more than once since the casinos opened, so check the current position if it applies to you.

You have to be 21 or older to enter either casino, and staff do check at the entrance. Foreign visitors should carry the physical passport rather than a photo of it, because that is what the entry desk scans. People living in Singapore can use a long term pass, work pass or student pass with a photo. Anyone who cannot produce acceptable ID is turned away, so do not leave your passport in the hotel safe.

Both floors stay open around the clock. Dress is smart casual, which in practice means no shorts, no slippers or flip flops, no sleeveless tops for men, and closed shoes are the safe choice. Photography and video are not allowed anywhere on the gaming floor, so keep the phone in your pocket. Rules are tightened from time to time, so a quick look at the operator's website before you go saves trouble at the door.

Known For : Gardens by the Bay Universal Studios Singapore Marina Bay Sands

The two casinos sit at opposite ends of the city, and the choice is really about the rest of your trip. Marina Bay puts you in the middle of the skyline, the malls and the museums, with the MRT at your feet. Sentosa is quieter and greener and built for families, with the theme park, the aquarium and the beaches on your doorstep. Packages average around Rs 57,000 per person.

Best Time: January to November

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The SkyPark is the boat shaped deck laid across the top of the three Marina Bay Sands towers, and for most visitors it is the main event. The observation deck is open to anyone with a ticket and gives you the whole bay from the 57th floor. The infinity pool everyone photographs is reserved for hotel guests, so if that is the picture you want, you have to book a room.

The theme park sits inside Resorts World Sentosa, a few minutes on foot from the casino, with 24 rides, shows and attractions across seven themed zones including Sci-Fi City, Ancient Egypt and Far Far Away. It is the only Universal Studios park in Southeast Asia. Give it a full day, and go on a weekday morning if you want to spend less of that day in a queue.

The aquarium at Resorts World Sentosa is one of the largest in the world, and its Open Ocean habitat, seen through a single huge viewing panel, is the part children remember. It reopened after a long refurbishment under the name Singapore Oceanarium, so you may see either name on signs and tickets. Adventure Cove Waterpark is next door and the two pair well into one day.

The lotus shaped building beside the Marina Bay Sands towers holds 21 galleries of digital and interactive exhibitions, and it is the rare museum that keeps adults and restless children happy at the same time. Shows change through the year, so check what is on before you buy tickets. It is a short walk from the casino block and sits over the same set of shops.

Singapore treats this as a public health matter, and it helps to know how. A national council runs an exclusion system, so residents can bar themselves from the casinos and families can apply to bar a relative. The casinos are also barred from extending credit to local players who are not premium members. Set a limit before you walk in, and remember the floor is one small part of a very large resort.

Known For : Genting SkyWorlds Theme Park Chin Swee Caves Temple Genting Skyway

If gaming is the point of the trip rather than a stop on it, the nearest comparison in the region is Genting Highlands, about an hour up into the hills from Kuala Lumpur. It is a full hill resort, with a cable car ride up, a theme park, outlet shopping and cool weather, and Malaysia adds on easily to a Singapore itinerary. Entry rules there are different, so read up before you travel.

Best Time: March to September

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