KUALA LUMPUR (April 5): Genting Singapore is banking on its track record of operating in a tightly-regulated Singapore environment to give it an edge over competitors in a bid to secure a licence for a Japanese Integrated Resort (IR), said executive chairman Tan Sri Lim Kok Thay.

In his chairman’s statement published in Genting Singapore’s 2018 Annual Report, Lim said the group is “cautiously optimistic” about leveraging on its experience in winning the 2006 IR bid in Singapore, in order to do the same in Japan too. 

The group’s IR licence in Singapore, which developed the Resorts World Sentosa casino resort, had led to significant tourism growth there, he said.

“Our strong balance sheet puts us in good stead to embark on plans to expand our existing world class facilities, as well as to seek strategic investment opportunities in Japan, where we are actively gearing up for the bidding process for IRs.

“The IR industry in Japan is expected to be a stringently regulated one, so we are hopeful that our track record of operating in a very tightly-regulated environment in Singapore, will give us an edge over our competitors in the Japan IR bid,” he said.