Stakes rise in Southeast Asia’s casino race as Singapore’s rivals place bets

SINGAPORE — When Singapore’s Marina Bay Sands (MBS) integrated resort went almost completely dark during the 2020 COVID-19 lockdown, the absence of guests in the three gleaming towers, with their casinos, hotels, malls and event spaces, symbolized the country’s tourism industry grinding to a halt.

The pandemic also put on hold the grand expansion plans of both MBS, owned by Las Vegas Sands (LVS), and its casino rival in the city-state, Resorts World Sentosa, owned by Malaysia’s Genting.