Singapore's gambling watchdog has fined the city-state's two licensed casino operators a total S$385,000 for breaches relating to the admission of unauthorized locals and minors into the two gaming facilities in 2010 and 2011.

While the regulatory action is unlikely to have any material impact on the financial performance of Singapore's two lucrative casino resorts, it comes as the latest rap from a government anxious to limit the social impact of the nascent gaming scene on the island's 5 million inhabitants.

The Casino Regulatory Authority fined Las Vegas Sands Corp.(LVS)-run Marina Bay Sands S$255,000, it said in a statement issued Monday, explaining that breaches took place between Oct. 28, 2010 and April 30, 2011. It fined Genting Singapore Ltd. (G13.SG)-run Resorts World Sentosa S$130,000 for breaches between Aug. 15, 2010 and April 30, 2011.

The 44 breaches--24 for Marina Bay Sands and 20 for Resorts World Sentosa--relate to the admission of minors, excluded persons and allowing Singapore citizens and permanent residents to enter the casino without paying entry levies or on expired levy payments.

The Singapore government requires citizens and permanent residents pay S$100 to enter the casinos for a continuous period of 24 hours.

"These social safeguards are put in place to mitigate the casino's potential impact on vulnerable persons and to ringfence the casinos from potential criminal influence," CRA Chief Executive Lau Peet Meng said.

"Hence, we are taking tough disciplinary action against the casino operators for the cases where they have failed to show due care in complying with our requirements to prevent minors and excluded persons from entering the casinos, and to ensure that entry levies are duly paid."

Singapore regulators have anxiously watched local patronage at the two casinos since they opened in early 2010 and have been fast to take action against any perceived adverse influence on local communities. In 2010, it halted free bus services offered to locals by the casinos.

The success of Singapore's young gaming market has defied the expectations of many cynics and has helped fuel a resurgence in the island's tourism sector.

Marina Bay Sands reported US$2.99 billion in gross gaming revenue for 2011, equivalent to almost 50% of the total gaming win for the Las Vegas Strip over the 12 month period to Nov. 30.

The city-state took in S$22.2 billion in tourism receipts in 2011, up 17% from 2010 while total international visitor arrivals climbed 13% to 13.2 million.

Resorts World Sentosa said in a statement that it has "reinforced security personnel and checks at the casino entrance" and is "committed to continuously review our entry systems and processes with the view of improving detection procedures."

A Marina Bay Sands spokeswoman said the it is the resort's "top priority to comply with all regulatory requirements in Singapore."

-By Sam Holmes, Dow Jones Newswires; +65-6415-4157; samuel.holmes@dowjones.com

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