Another 15,000 people will be barred from
entering the two casinos from as early as next month as the government tightens
its regulations to target the financially vulnerable.
The ban
comes on the back of a survey last year that showed more low-income earners
were gambling away large bets.
The
move announced yesterday will affect Singaporeans and permanent residents who
are currently on government aid.
They
include 12,000 people who are receiving short- and medium-term help under the
Community Care Endowment Fund.
These
recipients, who may be temporarily out of work, get help such as cash grants.
The ban will take effect from July 1.
From
August 1, another 3,000 people will be barred from the casinos at Resorts World
Sentosa and Marina Bay Sands. They are HDB dwellers paying subsidised rates for
their rental flats, and who have chalked up rental arrears of six months or
more.
The two
groups will be barred under the government's third-party exclusion order, which
currently covers only undischarged bankrupts and those on the Public Assistance
scheme.
As of
last month, there were 27,882 people on this list.
Last
month, The Straits Times reported that the government would likely tighten its
exclusion orders this month, after Chan Chun Sing, who is Acting Minister for
Community Development, Youth and Sports, hinted at such a move in February.
Making
the announcement yesterday, Chan said these two groupshad shown 'initial signs'
of financial strain as they struggled with their daily expenses.
"These...
are the ones who are most unable to afford casino gambling and we want to help
prevent them from getting into trouble," he told reporters on the
sidelines of a visit to the Tanjong Pagar Family Service Centre.
But
Chan stressed that the government was not targeting low-income people.
"We
don't judge people by their income level but we want to look at gambling habits
and really target our help to those people who need it," he said, adding
that feedback from stakeholders was that the ban was neither "overly
broad" nor "sweeping".
Once in
effect, the total number of people under the government's third-party exclusion
list will be close to 43,000. There are also 64,064 self-exclusion orders and
1,083 family exclusion orders currently in force.
There
are no official statistics on the extent of casino gambling among the two new
groups.
But a
survey last year by the National Council on Problem Gambling showed a small but
growing number of gamblers who bet large amounts in various forms of gambling.
They spent more than half of their income gambling, despite earning less than
S$2,000 (US$1,600) a month.
In
2008, they formed up to 0.8 per cent of those surveyed. Last year, this figure
rose to 2 per cent.
Counsellors
welcomed the move but some said the ban may be targeting the wrong groups.
'The
impact of the ban will not be significant as not many who are on social
assistance will be able to afford the (S$100 or US$78 entrance) levy,' said
Chan Boon Huat of One Hope Centre.
Besides
expanding the ban, the Ministry of Community Development, Youth and Sports is
looking atrestricting the number of casino visits by frequent gamblers. Laws
and rules governing the casinos are also being reviewed.
More
details will be released in the second half of the year.
Janice
Tai & Leslie Kay Lim
The
Straits Times
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