Genting Malaysia Bhd closed two of the three casinos at its Genting Highlands resort with effect from 28 February 2024, and directed patrons to the newer SkyCasino. The two affected venues are Genting Casino 1 (Circus Palace) and Genting Casino 2 (Hollywood)1. The company said the closure of two of its three casinos in Genting Highlands is temporary and done to upgrade its facilities2.
An earlier notice on the Resorts World Genting website announced the closures without giving a reason, and told patrons to proceed to SkyCasino for gaming1. The company then issued an "official notice of clarification" on the afternoon of 28 February, after media articles highlighted the closure1.
"In our ongoing effort to improve our operational efficiency and enhance the gaming and entertainment experience for our guests, we continuously upgrade our facilities. This will involve temporarily closing certain sections of our casino to facilitate the improvements."
The company said its gaming operations continue to operate as usual, and that SkyCasino is operating as per normal1. It did not indicate when the shuttered casinos will reopen1. To ease the transition, the resort organized a shuttle service to SkyCasino, located at SkyAvenue1.
SkyCasino opened in 2017 and is described on the Resorts World Genting website as a "sleek and modern" gaming space featuring one of the biggest selections of games in Asia1. Reporting cited by New Straits Times said fewer people were visiting the older casinos after the pandemic, with more guests preferring SkyCasino's flashy atmosphere, and that the International Room in the older zones had also seen significantly fewer visitors2. The two closed venues had been operating for decades1.
Genting Malaysia owns and operates major resort properties in the US, Bahamas, Egypt and the UK, where it operates over 30 casinos1.
What it means for players
Gaming at Genting Highlands now runs through SkyCasino, which the company says is operating as normal2. Players who previously used Circus Palace or Hollywood, including the International Room, need to move to SkyCasino at SkyAvenue; the resort has laid on a shuttle service for that purpose1. Entry rules, games and access arrangements for the resort's remaining venues are set out in the Genting Malaysia operator guide, and the games available at the resort are covered in Casino Games at Genting. The closures are recorded among regional shutdowns in Closed Casinos in Asia. For the wider legal position on gambling in the country, see Can I Gamble in Malaysia?, and for how access differs between residents and visitors, Gambling in Asia for Expats and Visitors.
What happens next
No reopening date for Genting Casino 1 (Circus Palace) or Genting Casino 2 (Hollywood) has been reported1. The company has not said what specific works the upgrades involve beyond "temporarily closing certain sections of our casino to facilitate the improvements"2.
