Casinos face heavy penalties should barred persons enter
gaming floors
SINGAPORE: The National Council on Problem Gambling will
soon be sending out letters to over 28,000 people in Singapore
barring them from the two upcoming casinos.
The majority are undischarged bankrupts while the rest are
recipients of public financial assistance.
Casinos face a potentially heavy penalty should they breach the
rule.
But those issued with exclusion orders will be kept out including
over 28,000 names whose precarious financial situation
automatically bans them from the gaming tables.
Singapore is the first such country to automatically bar this group
of people.
Problem gamblers may also seek to exclude themselves from the
casinos, and in the one month since applications were opened, 56
have done so.
Applications may also be made by family members and so far, 19
exclusion orders have been issued.
The orders were issued by the council but it is the casinos that
will have to enforce the rule.
And if they don't, potentially heavy penalties await.
In response to MediaCorp, the Casino Regulatory Authority said it
is a condition of a gaming license that those barred from casinos
not be allowed in.
Should it happen, the casino has two weeks to explain why
disciplinary action should not be taken.
A letter of censure will be sent out, and if changes are not made,
the casino may lose its license or be fined up to S$1
million.
These penalties also apply to situations where the casino operator
is found "no longer suitable" to hold the license, or if the casino
was deemed "no longer suitable for the conduct of casino
operations".
The penalties may be heavy but they suggest the seriousness with
which the issue is being tackled.
Both casinos said they are working closely with the authorities to
ensure no one slips through.
Marina Bay Sands added that checks will be made at the door when
Singaporeans and PRs pay entry fees.
- CNA/vm