Gambling Trips From Singapore

Where Singaporeans gamble abroad: the main destinations

Singapore has only two casinos, Marina Bay Sands and Resorts World Sentosa, and citizens and permanent residents pay a levy to enter them, which you can read about on our page on Singapore's casino entry levy. That levy is one reason many Singaporeans look further afield, and the region gives you plenty of choice within a few hours of Changi.

The options fall into three rough bands by travel time:

• Under two hours: the Leisure World casino cruise, which sails in international waters off the Indonesian island of Batam. The whole trip from Singapore, including a ferry transfer, takes about one hour and 15 minutes¹.
• Half a day by land: Resorts World Genting in the Malaysian highlands, the country's only legal casino².
• A short flight: Macau, the only place in China with legal casinos³; Kangwon Land in South Korea, the only casino there open to locals⁶; Resorts World Manila in the Philippines⁷; NagaWorld in Phnom Penh, Cambodia⁸; and Corona Resort & Casino on Phu Quoc island in Vietnam⁹.

Gambling is allowed and unrestricted for foreigners in Singapore's two casinos, so visitors from abroad have no reason to leave the country to play¹⁰. This page is mainly for Singapore residents weighing the levy at home against a trip away, or anyone combining a holiday with a casino visit.

One point worth knowing before you go: winnings from 4D, Toto, football, Singapore Sweep, horse racing, fruit machines and casinos are not taxable in Singapore, and that covers casino winnings too¹¹. You keep what you win abroad, as far as Singapore tax is concerned.

Leisure World: the casino cruise off Batam

Leisure World is a casino ship that sails in international waters off the Indonesian island of Batam. There used to be three such floating casinos near Singapore, but Leisure World is the only one known to be still operating¹.

The trip works like this. A ferry takes 40 minutes from Singapore to the Nongsapura Ferry Terminal in Batam. Passengers then switch to a domestic ferry for another 20 minutes out to the ship. The whole journey, including the transfer, takes about one hour and 15 minutes¹.

The ship is run by New Century Tours, a Singapore travel agent, and carries between 600 and 700 passengers daily. Four in five are Singaporeans, and the rest are mostly Malaysians¹.

Here is what you find on board:

The price is a big part of the appeal. A return ticket costs $43 and includes free buffet meals on board. A cabin costs $40 if you want a private place to rest. Passengers over 55 get a weekday discount and pay $23¹.

Because the ship sails in international waters, the Singapore casino entry levy does not apply, which is exactly why many Singaporeans make the trip¹.

Resorts World Genting: Malaysia's sole legal casino

Malaysia has exactly one licensed casino, at Genting Highlands, and it is Resorts World Genting². It operates under a specific license and is the only legal casino in the country¹².

Resorts World Genting is part of the Genting group, which also owns Resorts World Casino New York City in the United States, Resorts World Bimini in the Bahamas, over 40 casinos in the United Kingdom, and two more Malaysian resorts, Resorts World Kijal and Resorts World Langkawi¹⁴. So the Genting name you know from Resorts World Sentosa is the same company.

The resort is a full mountain destination rather than a bare casino. Its outdoor theme park closed in September 2013 to make way for a large redevelopment, but the casino, hotels and other attractions kept operating through the works¹³.

From Singapore, most people drive or take a coach up the North-South Expressway to the Genting Highlands, then ride up the mountain. It is a comfortable half-day trip each way, which makes Genting the most practical land-based casino option from Singapore.

Macau: the only legal casino gambling in China

Macau is the only location in China offering legalized casino gaming³. It is also the only legal gambling destination within the Greater China territories¹⁵, and the only place on the mainland where gambling and casinos are allowed¹⁰. Mainland Chinese and Macao citizens may enter and play freely².

The entry age is 21. People under 21 are prohibited from entering casinos, though the legal age for betting on horse racing, football and basketball remains 18⁴. Note that Macau's horse racing itself was abolished in April 2024, and all public gambling other than casinos has now disappeared there¹⁶.

For Singaporeans, Macau is a three-and-a-half to four-hour flight, usually with a casino city break attached. The scale is on another level from anything within reach of Singapore: Macau's casino floors are the largest in the world, and the territory draws visitors from across Greater China precisely because it is the only legal option¹⁵.

Kangwon Land: South Korea's casino open to locals

South Korea has many casinos, but almost all of them are for foreigners only. Kangwon Land, in Jeongseon, Gangwon Province, is the country's sole legal casino open to Korean citizens⁶. It was permitted by special legislation as the one casino business establishment allowing access to both domestic nationals and foreigners⁵.

Kangwon Land is not just a casino. It is a true integrated resort with hotels, a golf course, a ski resort and a convention center, so it works as a winter sports or mountain holiday with a casino attached⁵.

The demand is remarkable. The casino's actual capacity is only 2,000 people, but it attracts more than 10,000 Koreans a day from all over the country⁵. Alongside the tables, it offers 960 video slots¹⁷.

Everyone entering pays a 24-hour levy of KRW 5,000, roughly USD 5, whether Korean or foreign⁵. The resort does limit entry of clients visiting the casino, though there are ways around the limit if a person agrees to undergo a consultation¹⁸.

For Korean nationals, gambling is otherwise permitted only in limited circumstances, typically small wagers for entertainment at a handful of government-approved venues such as the horse racing track in Seoul and Kangwon Land⁶. Foreign visitors to South Korea can play at any of the foreigners-only casinos in Seoul, Busan and elsewhere, so Kangwon Land is more of a curiosity for them than a necessity.

Resorts World Manila: the Philippines' biggest casino

Resorts World Manila opened on August 28, 2009, a $700 million complex built on a former air force base in front of the capital's new airport terminal⁷. That location is its great strength: you can walk from Manila's Terminal 3 to the casino.

The site occupies around 7.8 hectares⁹. The casino itself covers 30,000 square meters, about 323,000 square feet, spread over three floors⁷. When the first floor opened, its 100 tables already made it the Philippines' biggest casino⁷. The full build-out brought 300 tables and more than 1,000 slot machines⁹.

The complex includes three hotels with 1,574 rooms⁷, and the operator expected around 10,000 people to play there every day⁹. For Singaporeans, Manila is a short flight, and the airport-side location means you can get from plane to table without crossing the city.

NagaWorld and Corona Phu Quoc: two more resort casinos

Two more destinations round out the map for Singapore-based players.

NagaWorld, Phnom Penh. NagaWorld in Cambodia's capital is a large full-service casino resort with 600 gaming tables and more than 5,000 gaming machines, plus a 1,700-room hotel⁸. The property includes eight levels of gaming halls, several arcades, two retail areas, a spa, a ballroom, a business center, a karaoke lounge and a variety of restaurants and bars¹⁹. Its 1,700 rooms include 500 five-star accommodations at less than half of Macau prices⁸. One thing to know about stakes: main floor baccarat bets start at a pricey $100 for the so-called "squeeze games"⁸. NagaWorld states clearly that it does not offer or support any online or remote gambling activities, so any website claiming to be NagaWorld online is not the real thing²¹.

Corona Resort & Casino, Phu Quoc. Corona sits in the Bai Dai area of Phu Quoc, Vietnam, and is notable for being the first licensed venue in Vietnam to readmit Vietnamese players, which it did on November 26, 2025². For foreign customers, the casino entry fee is waived, and you present a valid original passport, including visa and entry or exit stamps, at registration⁹. The minimum age is 18 with full civil capacity⁹. The dress code asks for business formal or smart casual; sleeveless tops, swimwear and sleepwear are strictly prohibited, no clothing with offensive phrases or graphics, and shoes must be worn on the casino floor⁹. If you need to contact the resort, the helpline is (+84) 297 222 8888 and the email is mkt.management@casinocorona.vn⁹. Phu Quoc combines well with a beach holiday, and there are direct flights from Singapore.

What to check before you book

A few practical points before you commit to any of these trips:

• Your exclusion status. If you have a self-exclusion or a family exclusion order in Singapore, it bans you from casinos, jackpot machine rooms at private clubs and Singapore Pools online betting in Singapore²². Check whether your exclusion affects your plans abroad, and if you want to lift or set a visit limit, the National Council on Problem Gambling handles self-exclusion and visit limit applications²³.
• Entry ages and levies. Macau requires you to be 21⁴. Kangwon Land charges everyone KRW 5,000 to enter⁵. Corona Phu Quoc is 18-plus with a passport check⁹. None of these venues charges Singaporeans the levy you pay at home.
• Stakes. Leisure World starts at $2 a bet¹, while NagaWorld's main floor baccarat squeeze games start at $100⁸. Know the minimums before you fly somewhere expecting low-stakes play.
• Passports and documents. Corona Phu Quoc requires your original passport with visa and stamps at registration⁹, and every international trip needs valid travel documents, so check your passport expiry and visa requirements for Malaysia, Indonesia, China (Macau), South Korea, the Philippines, Cambodia and Vietnam before booking.
• Getting there. Leisure World is a day trip¹; Genting is a half-day drive²; Macau, Seoul, Manila, Phnom Penh and Phu Quoc are flights. Match the destination to how much time you actually have.