A millionaire’s son in Malaysia who started gambling at the age
of 16 accumulated losses of up to S$3.4 million by the time he was
19.
In a news report on the star online, the boy’s father
was a compulsive gambler who lost millions in foreign football bets
over the internet before his son picked up the habit.
According to Klang Barisan Nasional chairman Datuk Teh Kim Poo,
who was unable to coax the teenager to come forward to relate his
gambling spree, the teen grew up watching his father gamble and at
the age of 16, gambling agents gave him a credit line of
S$42,000.
Said Teh, “His father bailed him out each time he went into
debt. He would lie to his father that he needed money for his
college fees but used it to pay gambling agents.”
The final straw came when the losses hit S$3.4 million. The
father, in his 50s, barred him from gambling and stopped his son
from attending college. He is said to be working for his father
now.
What makes people, especially teens, start gambling? Is it
‘hereditary’?
The incident will certainly raise some concern in Singapore.
With the opening of the two Integrated Resorts, the gambling bug
has hit Singaporeans despite the S$100 casino levy imposed.
A Straits Times report on 19 May indicated that the two
casino operators, Resorts World Sentosa and Marina Bay Sands, have
collected about S$70 million in entry levies as of 10 May since
they opened.
What makes people, especially teens, start gambling? Are they
lured by the temptation of taking a shortcut to making it big?
Or does nurture play a role? The incident in Malaysia seems to
indicate so.
Parents play an important role in their children’s lives and
should set a good example for their kids to follow.
A father-son relationship is all about a boy emulating his
father. In order for this to be an effective relationship, a father
must be a good role model to his son. As the old saying goes, like
father, like son.