Gambling Issues In Singapore

Advice from private investigator James Loh:

• Gambling Issues In Singapore India
• Gambling Issues In Singapore Tourism
• Gambling Issues In Singapore China

In order to produce a more comprehensive understanding of the study, a multi-method approach will be applied to examine the immediate effects of the casino gambling on crime, quality of life, economic development, and social costs. To analyze these issues, I have chosen Singapore where casino gambling has recently been introduced. The pathological and problem gambling rate among Singaporeans and permanent residents was 0.9 per cent in the 2017 survey by the National Council on Problem Gambling. It inched up from 0.7 per cent.

Problem gambling refers to the behaviour of persons who are addicted to gambling. Like any addiction, symptoms can range from the mild to the severe. The most serious form of the gambling is called 'Pathological' or 'Compulsive' Gambling.

The establishment of the twin integrated resorts and casinos in Singapore has contributed to the cases of problem gambling locally. After all, casino games and casino environments are deliberately designed to induce players to gamble more. Occasionally, people look to private investigators like me to check up on the gambling activities of their family members so they can do something about it.

Identifying the gambling habit

The victims could be our loved ones. It is best to identify problem gambling early on so that something can be done. The following are some tell-tale signs of a gambling habit:

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Gambling Issues In Singapore India

• Lying about the small things: People who have gambling problems generally try to hide such problems from the people around them. They may start lying to their spouses, families, co-workers and friends. They may also hide bills, past-due notices, winnings or losses from partners/family members
• Retirees leaving home for long hours at a stretch: Suspicion should be aroused when these trips are made to venues which host a casino/gambling facility – e.g. country clubs and the integrated resorts. However, the subject may also be unwilling to reveal the nature of their movements when asked. In that case, it may be unwise to press the issue as it could lead to arguments/conflict and cause the subject to become more guarded about his or her activities
• Financial troubles: Constantly not having enough cash for daily expenses and/or having increased debt and/or unpaid bills. This may happen because the gambler is spending more money on gambling than he can afford.
• Mood changes: The subject may become constantly distressed, frustrated and irritable and/or demonstrate less patience when dealing with normal, everyday activities with no overtly identifiable reason
• Borrowing money: Pathological gamblers inevitably find themselves in a financial hole and may resort to borrowing from family, friends, co-workers or even strangers, without always admitting the real reason behind their need for cash. They may also max out their credit cards, sell things for quick cash and/or take out a second mortgage
• Strained relationships and declining work performance/loss of job: Problem gambling causes harm to both the gambler and his or her family. It could lead to increased conflict with friends or family over money or the subject's gambling habits and/or increasing isolation from family and friends

The above are guidelines to allow you to either confirm or deny your suspicions about whether a relative has a gambling problem. However, they are not meant to be conclusive nor exhaustive and should not be regarded in isolation.

How much gambling is too much?

Should the subject's gambling habits be known, the following are tell-tale signs that an innocuous habit may be pathological:

• Chasing losses: This happens when gamblers attempt to win back the money they have lost. They may claim that they will quit gambling once they 'strike it big' or blame the loss on (lack of) luck or wrong strategies used. However, when they chase their losses, they end up incurring more losses and often land themselves in severe debt
• Increase in betting amounts: Like someone who has drug or alcohol problems, problem gamblers have to up their 'dose' of gambling to enjoy it. In other words, they have to bet more and more money to get the kind of rush they want
• Obsession over gambling: When a subject is constantly thinking or talking about gambling, it may be a sign of addiction. The subject may also start to neglect social life and family time in order to spend more money and time on gambling

Actions you can take

Confronting the subject head-on may cause the subject to become defensive and lead to unpleasant arguments. Instead, you can take the following measures, especially if you know that the subject has a weakness for gambling:

• Find the identities of the subject's gambling partners (if any): They may turn out to be part of an illegal syndicate. If so, it is advisable to report your findings to the relevant authorities.
• Employ a trained Private Investigator to conduct discreet physical surveillance: The PI will be able to conduct surveillance in casinos and provide you with accurate information about the subject's movements and activities.
• Apply for a Casino Exclusion order (http://www.ncpg.org.sg/en/Pages/DealWithProblemGambling.aspx?category=2)
• Monitor the well-being of the subject: If the subject is facing financial troubles as a result of his/her gambling problem, he/she may become increasingly depressed and may resort to borrowing from illegal moneylenders or even contemplate suicide
• Seek professional help: Encourage the subject to go for counselling services and/or call the National Problem Gambling Helpline 1800-6-668-668 for help and advice
• Take control of finances: Where the problem is severe, guard savings accounts and make them inaccessible to the gambler and/or close all joint checking and savings accounts and create new accounts in your name only.

This article is written by James Loh, managing director of International Investigators Pte Ltd

Need a lawyer to assist with your legal matters?

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by Chia, Joshua Yeong Jia

Gambling Issues In Singapore Tourism

Problem gambling refers to the behaviour of persons who are addicted to gambling. Like any addiction, symptoms can range from the mild to the severe. The most serious form of the gambling is called 'Pathological' or 'Compulsive' Gambling.

The establishment of the twin integrated resorts and casinos in Singapore has contributed to the cases of problem gambling locally. After all, casino games and casino environments are deliberately designed to induce players to gamble more. Occasionally, people look to private investigators like me to check up on the gambling activities of their family members so they can do something about it.

Identifying the gambling habit

The victims could be our loved ones. It is best to identify problem gambling early on so that something can be done. The following are some tell-tale signs of a gambling habit:

Poker stars su android. Download the PokerStars Android app now or get via the ‘ Play Store ' on your device. Search for and install ‘ PokerStars Poker '. Downloading may take a few minutes, depending on your wireless or mobile data connection. Once the app has downloaded onto your device, press the PokerStars spade icon to launch our software.

Gambling Issues In Singapore India

• Lying about the small things: People who have gambling problems generally try to hide such problems from the people around them. They may start lying to their spouses, families, co-workers and friends. They may also hide bills, past-due notices, winnings or losses from partners/family members
• Retirees leaving home for long hours at a stretch: Suspicion should be aroused when these trips are made to venues which host a casino/gambling facility – e.g. country clubs and the integrated resorts. However, the subject may also be unwilling to reveal the nature of their movements when asked. In that case, it may be unwise to press the issue as it could lead to arguments/conflict and cause the subject to become more guarded about his or her activities
• Financial troubles: Constantly not having enough cash for daily expenses and/or having increased debt and/or unpaid bills. This may happen because the gambler is spending more money on gambling than he can afford.
• Mood changes: The subject may become constantly distressed, frustrated and irritable and/or demonstrate less patience when dealing with normal, everyday activities with no overtly identifiable reason
• Borrowing money: Pathological gamblers inevitably find themselves in a financial hole and may resort to borrowing from family, friends, co-workers or even strangers, without always admitting the real reason behind their need for cash. They may also max out their credit cards, sell things for quick cash and/or take out a second mortgage
• Strained relationships and declining work performance/loss of job: Problem gambling causes harm to both the gambler and his or her family. It could lead to increased conflict with friends or family over money or the subject's gambling habits and/or increasing isolation from family and friends

The above are guidelines to allow you to either confirm or deny your suspicions about whether a relative has a gambling problem. However, they are not meant to be conclusive nor exhaustive and should not be regarded in isolation.

How much gambling is too much?

Should the subject's gambling habits be known, the following are tell-tale signs that an innocuous habit may be pathological:

• Chasing losses: This happens when gamblers attempt to win back the money they have lost. They may claim that they will quit gambling once they 'strike it big' or blame the loss on (lack of) luck or wrong strategies used. However, when they chase their losses, they end up incurring more losses and often land themselves in severe debt
• Increase in betting amounts: Like someone who has drug or alcohol problems, problem gamblers have to up their 'dose' of gambling to enjoy it. In other words, they have to bet more and more money to get the kind of rush they want
• Obsession over gambling: When a subject is constantly thinking or talking about gambling, it may be a sign of addiction. The subject may also start to neglect social life and family time in order to spend more money and time on gambling

Actions you can take

Confronting the subject head-on may cause the subject to become defensive and lead to unpleasant arguments. Instead, you can take the following measures, especially if you know that the subject has a weakness for gambling:

• Find the identities of the subject's gambling partners (if any): They may turn out to be part of an illegal syndicate. If so, it is advisable to report your findings to the relevant authorities.
• Employ a trained Private Investigator to conduct discreet physical surveillance: The PI will be able to conduct surveillance in casinos and provide you with accurate information about the subject's movements and activities.
• Apply for a Casino Exclusion order (http://www.ncpg.org.sg/en/Pages/DealWithProblemGambling.aspx?category=2)
• Monitor the well-being of the subject: If the subject is facing financial troubles as a result of his/her gambling problem, he/she may become increasingly depressed and may resort to borrowing from illegal moneylenders or even contemplate suicide
• Seek professional help: Encourage the subject to go for counselling services and/or call the National Problem Gambling Helpline 1800-6-668-668 for help and advice
• Take control of finances: Where the problem is severe, guard savings accounts and make them inaccessible to the gambler and/or close all joint checking and savings accounts and create new accounts in your name only.

This article is written by James Loh, managing director of International Investigators Pte Ltd

Need a lawyer to assist with your legal matters?

These lawyers are selected based on their number of positive reviews and years of experience in this subject you are enquiring about.

Here are 5 trusted lawyers you can contact directly for a quote.

by Chia, Joshua Yeong Jia

Gambling Issues In Singapore Tourism

Even before the two casinos in Marina Bay Sands and Resorts World Sentosa opened in 2010, Singaporeans had been gambling away billions of dollars each year.
Background
A report published in 2005 revealed that Singapore Pools, a state-linked lottery operator in Singapore, had a yearly turnover of S$4 billion, which worked out to S$11 million per day.¹ Another report published the same year found that, excluding illegal betting or speculation in stocks or derivatives, at least S$7 billion was spent on gambling in Singapore in 2004.² A survey conducted by the Ministry of Community Development, Youth and Sports between end 2004 and early 2005 indicated that 58 percent of Singaporeans aged 18 years and above had gambled over the past one year, with 2.1 percent showing signs of gambling addiction.³ A typical gambler wagered an average of S$244 every month. The lottery games offered by Singapore Pools were the most popular, with 4-D, Toto and Singapore Sweep taking the top three spots and over 30 percent of Singapore residents participating in these games.⁴

Gambling and common practices
Motorists and passers-by have been observed recording the four-digit registration numbers of vehicles involved in accidents in the hopes of winning the 4-D lottery. Some punters have even appeared at the scene of murders and at the funerals of murder victims to pray or to look for lucky numbers.⁵ There has been at least one complaint made to the press about television charity shows being akin to gambling because they offered donors the chance of winning prizes.⁶
Social gambling – including mahjong, card games, and other games played with friends and family involving money – came in fourth, with a 17-percent participation rate. Scratch It!, a scratch-and-win game launched in 2004, gained quick popularity with 12-percent participation rate.⁷ According to the 2005 report by MSF, table games and slot machines in local and overseas venues, sports betting, horse betting and online gambling were less popular gambling activities in Singapore. However, more money was spent on these activities. An average of S$387 and S$288 were spent every month on sports betting and table games (on cruises and in casinos) respectively, while only S$93, S$48, and S$27 were spent on 4-D, Toto, and Singapore Sweep respectively.⁸
On 18 April 2005, Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong announced the government's approval of the development of two 'integrated resorts', which would combine casinos with other entertainment facilities, at Marina Bayfront and Sentosa.⁹ The first casino, located within the Resorts World Sentosa integrated resort, opened on 14 February 2010. The second casino, housed in the Marina Bay Sands integrated resort, opened two months later on 27 April 2010.¹⁰ By 2013, the combined gross gaming revenue of the two casinos in Singapore had reached S$7.66 billion. In spite of this, Singapore Pools' turnover for 4-D, Toto, Singapore Sweep and sports betting continued to grow, reaching S$6.34 billion in 2015.¹¹
A survey conducted by Ngee Ann Polytechnic in 2003 revealed that two-thirds of Singaporeans between the ages of 40 and 59 did not believe that they had sufficient savings for retirement, and that almost 40 percent were counting on winnings from Toto and 4-D bets for their retirement funds.¹² A national study conducted in 2010 found that the elderly in Singapore were not any more prone to gambling addiction than other age groups, but nevertheless singled them out as vulnerable because they tended to have more free time and disposable income.¹³ In 2015, the Thye Hua Kwan Problem Gambling Recovery Centre and the National Addictions Management Service at the Institute of Mental Health reported a 60-percent increase in cases of problem gambling between 2012 and 2014, compared to the period between 2009 and 2011. The government attributed the increase to greater public awareness about problem gambling and the promotion of help-seeking behaviour.¹⁴

Author
Joshua Chia Yeong Jia

References
1. Even without a casino, Singaporeans love gambling to death. (2005, April 17). Agence France Presse. Retrieved from Factiva via NLB's eResources website: http://eresources.nlb.gov.sg
2. Long, S. (2005, July 2). Beast within gambling. TheStraits Times, p. 9. Retrieved from NewspaperSG.
3. Ministry of Community Development, Youth and Sports. (2005, April 13). Report of survey on participation in gambling activities among Singapore residents, 2005. Retrieved 2017, July 17 from Ministry of Social and Family Development website: https://www.ncpg.org.sg/en/pdf/publications-survey-gambling05.pdf
4. Ministry of Community Development, Youth and Sports. (2005, April 13). Report of survey on participation in gambling activities among Singapore residents, 2005. Retrieved 2017, July 17 f.m Ministry of Social and Family Development website: https://www.ncpg.org.sg/en/pdf/publications-survey-gambling05.pdf
5. The Sunday Times 4-D and the sick. (2005, June 26). TheStraits Times, p. 24. Retrieved from NewspaperSG; Even without a casino, Singaporeans love gambling to death. (2005, April 17). .ence France Presse. Retrieved from Factiva via NLB's eResources website: http://eresources.nlb.gov.sg|
6. Lian, W. J. J. (2005, July 2). Giving to charity is now like gambling. TheStraits Times, p. 15. Retrieved from NewspaperSG.
7. Ministry of Communication Development, Youth and Sports. (2005, April 13). Report of survey on participation in gambling activities among Singapore residents, 2005. Retrieved 2017, July 17 from Ministry of Social and Family Development website: https://www.ncpg.org.sg/en/pdf/publications-survey-gambling05.pdf; Fong, T., & Goh, S. (2004, December 4). Scratch fever hits hopeful punters. The Straits Times, p. 3. Retrieved from NewspaperSG.
8. Ministry of Community Development, Youth and Sports. (2005, April 13). Report of survey on participation in gambling activities among Singapore residents, 2005. Retrieved 2017, July 17 from Ministry of Social and Family Development website: https://www.ncpg.org.sg/en/pdf/publications-survey-gambling05.pdf
9. Government of Singapore. (2005, April 18). Statement by Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong on integrated resort on Monday, 18 April 2005 at Parliament House. Retrieved from Ministry of Trade and Industry website: https://www.mti.gov.sg/MTIInsights/Documents/Ministerial%20Statement%20-%20PM%2018apr05.pdf
10. Sim, A. (2010, April 30). 36,000 visit Marina Bay IR in first 24hrs. TheBusiness Times, p. 4; Ramchandani, N. (2010, February 16). Casino opens with a bang, queues raise whimpers. TheBusiness Times, p. 1. Retrieved from NewspaperSG.
11. Tan, T. (2015, February 8). S'pore punters spend US$5.9 million on bettings in a year. The Straits Times. Retrieved from Factiva via NLB's eResources website: http://eresources.nlb.gov.sg/
12. Leong, C. T., & Almenoar, M. (2004, December 18). Can you afford to retire?TheStraits Times, p. 2. Retrieved from NewspaperSG.
13. Lim, L. K. (2012, November 6). Elderly not more prone to gambling: Study. The Straits Times, p. 1. Retrieved from NewspaperSG.
14. Problem gambling: 60% more cases seen in last 3 years. (2015, July 14), Channel NewsAsia; Siau, M. E. (2015, July 14). Close to 60% rise in problem gambling cases seen at designated help centres: Chuan-Jin. Today. Retrieved from Factiva via NLB's eResources website: http://eresources.nlb.gov.sg/
Further resources
Pereira, B. (1991, May 13). $2b gambled away by Singaporeans. TheStraits Times, p. 20. Retrieved from NewspaperSG.
Singapore says ‘yes' to two integrated resorts with casinos. (2005, April 18). Channel NewsAsia. Retrieved from Factiva via NLB's eResources website: http://eresources.nlb.gov.sg

The information in this article is valid as at 2015 and correct as far as we are able to ascertain from our sources. It is not intended to be an exhaustive or complete history of the subject. Please contact the Library for further reading materials on the topic.

Gambling Issues In Singapore China

Subject
>Regulatory role>>Gambling&type=articles'>Law and government>>Regulatory role>>Gambling
Sports and Recreation
>Social problems>>Compulsive gambling&type=articles'>People and communities>>Social problems>>Compulsive gambling
Gambling--Singapore
Recreation