Resorts World Genting

Malaysia's only licensed land-based casino

Resorts World Genting is the sole land-based casino in Malaysia. It operates under a specific license and is the only legal casino in the country². That single fact shapes everything about a visit: there is no competing property to compare it with, no second set of entry rules to learn, and no alternative if you are turned away at the door.

The resort is run by Genting Malaysia Berhad and sits at Genting Highlands in Pahang, on a hilltop complex that also holds hotels, shopping malls, theme parks and restaurants. The casino is one part of a much larger property, which matters practically: if you are traveling with people who cannot or do not want to enter the casino, they have plenty to do within the same complex while you play.

For a wider look at what is and is not legal in the country, see Can I Gamble in Malaysia?. If you want the entry rules for the casino specifically, Casinos in Malaysia: Who Can Go In covers them in more detail.

Who can enter: non-Muslims aged 21 and over

Two rules decide whether you get in.

The first is age. You must be 21 years or above, and this applies to all visitors regardless of nationality or race¹. There is no lower age for tourists and no exemption for anyone traveling from abroad. The same 21-year minimum shows up at other venues in the region, including Singapore Pools, where all guests must be at least 21 to enter⁴. Macau took the same position when it reviewed its own entry age: the 21-year minimum was not lowered for tourists, on the basis that non-residents deserve the same protection as locals⁵.

The second is religion. Casino admissions are granted only to non-Muslims, and for Malaysian citizens this is stated explicitly¹. The same non-Muslim entry rule appears at other licensed venues in Malaysia, including the Special Cash Sweep draw venues, where admissions are granted only to non-Muslims above 21 years of age⁶.

What this means in practice:

• Malaysian citizens: you must be a non-Muslim and 21 or over. Both conditions are checked.
• Foreign residents and visitors: the 21-year minimum applies to you with no exceptions. The non-Muslim condition is enforced at the entrance as well.
• Anyone under 21: no entry, no exceptions, no accompanied entry.

Bring photo ID. Passports work, and so do Malaysian identity cards for citizens. Expect the check at the casino entrance rather than at the resort as a whole, since the hotels, malls and theme parks are open to everyone.

Genting Casino and SkyCasino: tables, slots and poker

The casino floor is split across two main areas, Genting Casino and SkyCasino, and between them they carry more than 400 gaming tables and more than 3,000 slot machines with progressive jackpots¹. The table games include Blackjack, Baccarat, Roulette and Sic Bo¹.

If you want a closer look at what is spread where, Casino Games at Genting breaks down the options. The short version is this:

The resort also runs attractions beyond the casino floor: Skytropolis Indoor Theme Park, Genting SkyWorlds Theme Park, Sky VR, BigTop Video Games Park, Eufloria and the SkyWay cable car⁸. These are open to everyone, including people who cannot enter the casino.

Hotels and accommodation on the resort

The resort runs a large portfolio of hotels, which is useful because the casino sits on a hilltop and staying overnight removes the need to travel back down after a late session. The properties include Crockfords, Genting Grand, RW Hotel (formerly Highlands Hotel), Genting SkyWorlds Hotel, First World Hotel, Resorts World Awana, Resorts World Kijal and Resorts World Langkawi, along with Highlands Hotel (formerly Resort Hotel)⁸.

For casino players, the practical picks are the ones closest to the gaming floor. Genting SkyWorlds Hotel connects to the main complex by a bridge on Level 2 of the Main Building, which takes you to Genting SkyWorlds Theme Park, SkyAvenue and SkyCasino³. The same hotel sits at the doorstep of Zouk Theatre and SkyAvenue, the resort's lifestyle mall with more than 100 restaurants and retail outlets³.

That bridge matters more than it sounds. The resort is spread across a hillside, and walking between buildings involves stairs, escalators and covered walkways. A hotel with a direct indoor connection to the casino and the mall saves you a lot of that, especially in the evening or in rain.

If you are weighing up where to stay, the trade-off is roughly this:

• Closest to the casino: Genting SkyWorlds Hotel, connected by the Level 2 bridge³
• Higher-end: Crockfords and Genting Grand⁸
• Largest and most budget-friendly: First World Hotel⁸
• Off the hilltop: Resorts World Awana, plus the beachside properties at Kijal and Langkawi⁸

Getting there: Awana SkyWay cable car and shuttle services

There are two main ways up to Genting Highlands: by road and by cable car.

The Awana SkyWay is the cable car route, and it is one of the resort's listed attractions in its own right⁸. It runs from the lower station up to the hilltop complex, giving you views over the surrounding rainforest on the way. It is the more scenic option and avoids the winding road, though it runs on its own schedule and can be affected by weather.

By road, the resort is served by shuttle services and by taxi or private car from Kuala Lumpur. The drive takes roughly an hour depending on traffic, and the final stretch climbs steadily, so if you are prone to motion sickness the cable car may suit you better.

Once you are on the hilltop, getting around is mostly on foot through connected buildings. The Level 2 bridge at the Main Building links Genting SkyWorlds Hotel to the theme park, SkyAvenue and SkyCasino³, and the same covered route system connects most of the main complex.

A few practical notes:

• Bring a layer. Genting Highlands sits at altitude and is noticeably cooler than Kuala Lumpur, especially in the evening.
• Allow time for the climb. Whether by road or cable car, the journey up is a real part of the trip, not a quick hop.
• Keep your ID on you. You will need it at the casino entrance, and it is worth having for hotel check-in as well.

Tourist Privilege Program and Genting Rewards membership

Two programs are worth knowing about before you go.

The Tourist Privilege Program is aimed at visitors to the resort⁸. If you are traveling from outside Malaysia, ask about it at Guest Services when you arrive, since the benefits are tied to your status as a tourist rather than to play.

Genting Rewards is the resort's membership program, and you can register in three ways: at any Guest Services counter at the resort, online, or through the RWG mobile app⁹. Points earned through the program can be redeemed at selected outlets across Resorts World Genting⁹.

There is also a MADANI Workers' Privilege offering 20% off at Resorts World Genting for MADANI workers⁸, which is a separate scheme from the tourist program and applies to a defined group rather than to visitors generally.

For a full walkthrough of how the card works and how the cashless play system fits in, see Genting Rewards Card and GeM Cashless Play.

Self-exclusion and responsible gaming support

If you want to stop yourself from gambling at Genting, the resort operates a self-exclusion scheme with two options.

The first is permanent self-exclusion from all Genting Highlands Malaysia casinos. Once in place, revoking it can only be requested after six months, and the request is subject to review and approval by Resorts World Genting.

The second is a short-term self-exclusion covering seven days, effectively a cooling-off period from all Genting Highlands Malaysia casinos.

Both routes are handled through the resort rather than through an outside regulator, so the practical step is to ask at Guest Services or contact the resort directly on +603 2718 1118¹.

Responsible gambling support is not unique to Genting. Regulators across the region run patron education and help services¹⁰, and Macau's responsible gambling information kiosks offer self-exclusion applications alongside problem gambling family counseling, gambling disorder assessment with a printable behavior report, a 24-hour helpline and interactive tools¹¹. Macau's kiosks handle self-exclusion applications specifically¹², and its broader responsible gambling service covers both residents and visitors¹¹. In South Korea, Sportstoto has developed self-diagnosis tools for players and a self-exclusion route¹³.

If you want to check your own gambling before it becomes a problem, a gambling harms assessment is a short, structured way to do it¹⁴.