Casinos catering more to S'poreans than tourists?

Letter from Leong Sze Hian
Today Online 05:55 AM Oct 25, 2010

I REFER to media reports about Singaporeans visiting the two casinos here.

If Singaporeans reportedly make up about a third of the 55,000 visitors to the two casinos, does it mean that there has been about 3.85 million (55,000 ÷ 3 x 210 days) visits by Singaporeans to the casinos in the seven months since their opening?

If we add to this figure permanent residents (PRs), the number of visits may cross 4 million.

If we include the 1.4 million foreigners who are resident in Singapore visiting the casinos, then the number of tourists (two-thirds of the daily 55,000 less PRs and foreigner residents) may not be even half the total number who visit the casinos.

So, are the casinos catering more to attract Singapore residents or tourists?

Finally, why are the statistics not being made public?

[Maybe because stupid people may make dumb conclusions like this one? Let's see in 7 months 3.85 million visits by Singaporeans. Implying that practically every Singaporean, man woman and child, has been there at least once? And apparently, all 1.4m resident foreigners are visiting the casinos as well! That's every foreign talent, PR, foreign worker, foreign maid, and foreign bride!

3.85m is practically the whole population of SC. I haven't gone to the casino. Most of my colleagues have not gone (or maybe would not admit to having gone). So many of those who go are repeat visitors.

But Mr Leong is not stupid. He generally provides analysis of financial issues and offers some intriguing viewpoints. But this is probably pre-election posturing.]