Drawing crowds and disquiet
By Loh Chee Kong, TODAY | Posted: 06 July 2007 1246
hrs
A LITTLE room in AMK Hub is fast becoming a favourite haunt for
middle-aged folks with cash and time to spare.
But the jackpot facility run by NTUC Club is also attracting flak
from conservative heartland residents and shoppers, who are
concerned about the impact on students from nearby schools who hang
out at the popular mall.
The jackpot facility, which houses 40 fruit machines, is located on
level four and stands beside the cineplex and arcade centre. Access
is restricted to members and sign-in guests, who must be above
18.
When Today checked out the facility at lunchtime on Wednesday, it
was enjoying brisk business from middle-aged men and women as well
as young working professionals.
It also turned the heads of teens some in school uniform who
were making their way to the cinema and game machines. Some of them
opened the facility's doors for a peek.
Salesman Neo Tze Siang, 27, felt there was no place for a gambling
outlet in the "family oriented" AMK Hub.
He said: "The jackpot room is next to establishments where youths
go. It will certainly arouse curiosity in passersby."
Others disagreed. Said engineer Steven Loo, 48: "There are
restrictions to make sure it's accessible only to members."
The jackpot facility was meant to be part of the NTUC Club's new
clubhouse at AMK Hub. Contractual issues had delayed the
clubhouse's construction, originally due to be completed in March.
But NTUC Club decided to open the jackpot facility first.
Next month, when the clubhouse is completed, said spokesman Stanley
Wong, the facility will blend into the overall design. A red banner
with the word "Jackpot" was removed from above the facility's
entrance yesterday morning.
This is the fourth jackpot facility in residential areas set up
over 12 years by NTUC Club, after Pasir Ris, Choa Chu Kang and
Bishan. It also operates a jackpot room at Amara Shopping Centre in
Tanjong Pagar.
Said Mr Wong: "This is not the first jackpot facility in the
heartlands. We have always been very mindful of putting in place
safeguards, especially in the admissions criteria. In a month's
time, the public can be assured the jackpot facility will appear
less prominent."
Other social clubs such as Safra and the Automobile Association of
Singapore also operate jackpot rooms. But these are in less
prominent locations, and the membership reach may not be as wide as
NTUC Club, which caters to at least 500,000 union members.
Mr Seng Han Thong, the Member of Parliament for Yio Chu Kang in
which the AMK Hub is located told Today his grassroots leaders
would "monitor the situation closely".
The concerns of residents concerns were "natural and valid", he
said, adding that the NTUC Club had given assurances of "very
strict checks" on patrons' age, and that staff had been trained to
identify gambling addicts for counselling.
While the AMK Hub location was "not ideal", gambling is already
prevalent and accessible here, noted Ms Debra Soon, chairman of the
National Council on Problem Gambling's youth sub-committee.
The objective, she said, is to ensure "responsible gambling
practices" and that the Responsible Gambling Code of Practice is
adhered to. TODAY/rose
