Singapore to be 2nd largest APAC casino centre nxt yr: PwC

The report titled 'Playing to Win' projects Singapore' casino revenues to hit USD 2.8 billion this year. By 2014 PwC expects it to grow to USD 8.3 billion. It said that Singapore's share of the casino market is expected to leapfrog Australia and South Korea next year and to be the second largest in the Asia Pacific behind Macau.

"Singapore has made a dramatic entry to the casino gaming market with two integrated resorts," noted Greg Unsworth, PwC Singapore's Technology Infocomm Entertainment & Media Industry Leader.

Overall, the Asia Pacific casino market has stormed ahead of the rest of the world after the recent recession, growing by nearly 50 per cent from 2009 to 2010, according to the report in the online version of The Straits Times.

Starting this year, Singapore has issued permits to casino operators in a bid to popularise the place as an international tourist destination.