Good morning. Singapore is reimagining its island playground. Sentosa Development Corporation has unveiled a two-decade master plan folding neighboring Brani into the resort destination, aiming to double visitor numbers around Resorts World Sentosa. The $5 billion RWS 2.0 expansion anchors the pipeline, a timely boost for Genting Singapore as Marina Bay Sands pulls ahead. Meanwhile, Bangladesh has swung hard the other way, criminalizing online gambling with up to 10 years in prison and fines of $405,500. The new law replaces a colonial-era statute and arms regulators with AI-driven monitoring and asset seizure powers.
What you need to know
- Singapore unveils a 20-year Greater Sentosa plan to double visitors and expand the tourism hub around Genting’s Resorts World Sentosa.
- Bangladesh’s new gambling law targets online betting, crypto-linked networks and promotions, with penalties of up to 10 years in prison.
On the radar
- AUSTRAC closes Sportsbet undertaking after AML/CTF remediation.
- Zhuhai-Macau border checkpoint tops 64M passenger trips in 1H26, up 6%.
- Vietnam foreign arrivals reach 12.3M in the first half, up 14.9%.
- Australia’s NSW ruling party commits to higher pokies taxes, machine cuts.
- Korea extradites UAE-based suspects linked to $3.9B illegal gambling case.
AGB Intelligence
SINGAPORE
Singapore unveils Greater Sentosa expansion
Singapore’s Greater Sentosa Master Plan will combine Sentosa with neighboring Brani in a two-decade transformation aimed at doubling visitor numbers and expanding the tourism precinct around Resorts World Sentosa. The plan includes new hotels, attractions, improved transport links, reimagined beaches and major landmarks, with RWS 2.0 anchoring the near-term pipeline through a $5 billion redevelopment due by 2030.
Industry Updates
- Zitro returns to Paraguay in August for its second annual Zitro Experience.
- Isle of Man strengthens international AML cooperation at FATF plenary.
- Soft2Bet names Ryan Collinge as EVP of Business Development.
Corporate Spotlight
How Crypto Adoption in Asia is Changing iGaming Payments
Yevhen Krazhan, CSO at GR8 Tech, explores how surging crypto adoption across Asia is revolutionizing iGaming payments, stating: “When I look at what’s changing fastest in Asia, it’s payment behavior,” as wallets, stablecoins, and seamless cross-border transfers become deeply ingrained in player habits. The winning operators will be those that offer fast, reliable, and local deposits and withdrawals. To make sense of it, Yevhen breaks Asia into two crypto realities.
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