In 2004, then-Minister for Trade and Industry George Yeo mooted the idea of legalising casino
gambling and developing a casino on Sentosa, an island south of the main island of Singapore.1
At
first glance, a casino in conservative, straight-laced Singapore may seem a radical and incongruous
proposition. In reality, this proposal to introduce local casinos to boost tourism, generate economic
growth and create new jobs has had repeated airings since the early days of Singapore’s
independence,