Strategies to Arrest Problem Gambling in Singapore

Mr Christopher de Souza asked Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Home Affairs whether the Casino Regulatory Authority and the National Council for Problem Gambling collaborate on a regular basis to draw up effective strategies to arrest problem gambling in Singapore and, if so, what strategies have the two bodies suggested in the past two years.

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The National Council on Problem Gambling (NCPG) was established in 2005 with the objective of reducing the impact of problem gambling on individuals, families and society. The Ministry of Social and Family Development (MSF) and NCPG undertake public education initiatives to raise awareness of the potential harms of gambling and avenues for help. NCPG also works closely with Family Service Centres to provide counselling, treatment, and integrated credit, legal and financial advisory services for problem gamblers.

The Casino Regulatory Authority (CRA), MSF and NCPG work in partnership to limit the social impact of casino gambling. There are established platforms for these agencies to meet and discuss issues relating to problem gambling. Senior representatives from CRA, including its Chief Executive, are regularly invited to join NCPG's meetings as resource persons.

Since the casinos began operations in Singapore, CRA, MSF and NCPG have worked together to monitor the social impact, review our regulatory framework and identify enhancements to our social safeguard regime. The agencies have collectively proposed new measures, such as the Visit Limit regime, an enhanced Responsible Gambling regime for casinos, and stronger deterrence and penalties against deliberate breaches of social safeguards. The proposed amendments to the Casino Control Act will bring these enhanced measures into effect.

At the operational level, CRA and NCPG work in close partnership to implement the social safeguards. While the NCPG issues casino exclusion orders, CRA enforces such orders on the casino floor. CRA and NCPG will work together to operationalise the proposed Visit Limit regime under the amendment Bill.

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NCPG's 2011 Gambling Participation Survey indicated that the overall gambling participation rate and the probable pathological and problem gambling rate have remained stable among Singapore residents after the opening of the casinos. CRA, MSF and NCPG will continue to closely monitor the social impact of casino gambling, and fine-tune our policies and measures to ensure that the vulnerable within our society are protected against the harms of gambling.

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