Bad debts eat into Genting Singapore profits; no new Singapore casino licenses

Casino operator Genting Singapore saw profit plunge 73% in Q1 as VIP bad debt losses mounted.

Revenue in the three months ending March 31 fell 23% to S$639.2m (US $484m), while operating profit fell 59% to S$130m and net profit fell 64% to S$91.7m. The profit share belonging to Genting Singapore’s ordinary shareholders was down 73% to S$62.7m. The news pushed the company’s shares down 7.9%, the biggest single drop since Genting’s Resorts World Sentosa property opened in 2010.

Gaming revenue was off 26% to S$494.8m while non-gaming revenue was off 8% to S$144m. Genting said its VIP gaming business “continues to come under stress due to regional environmental factors” and the company doesn’t expect “any respite in the medium term.” The company is “restructuring our operational and marketing organization to adjust to this change” but warned that “the year ahead will be challenging.”

Bad debt writeoffs in Q1 rose 30% to S$76.3m. Genting Singapore had previously warned that its VIP markers were becoming increasingly difficult to collect, which led the company to tighten its lending policies.