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Singaporean Lawmakers Relent on Strictest of Gambling Regulations
In an attempt to strike the appropriate balance between regulating gambling and allowing gambling operators the opportunity to operate their businesses effectively, Singaporean government officials have decided to lighten up on the overabundance of casino rules on which they have previously insisted.
The Singaporean legislature passed a bill on Tuesday, the Casino Control Bill, that will moderate the previously applicable casino gambling control bill. The Casino Control Bill provides a broad legislative framework, and further amendments to the bill in the future will delve into the specifics. Members of Parliament said that they would continue to assure that the gambling regulatory guidelines remain relevant by updating them periodically.
The gambling regulation bill was written after extensive review of the laws and social policies adapted by other countries in order to keep their gambling industries both successful and under control.
Deputy Prime Minister Wong Kan Seng said that he believes that the Casino Control Bill strikes the correct balance between keeping law and order, and preventing problem gaming, and allowing the gambling business to thrive.
Mr. Wong admitted that "there are no right answers."
Many aspects of the bill are designed to keep problem gambling to a minimum. People will be able to put themselves or a family member on a list of people barred from gambling, and Singaporeans will still have to pay an entry fee each time they enter a gambling venue.
However, other aspects, such as an attempt to limit the amount of gambling done by Singaporean citizens, were discarded as being too heavy- handed.
"Some MPs suggested limiting the number of times members can enter a casino, because when you pay S$2,000, maybe the maximum you allow is 20 times, 30 times. But I think we should not micromanage every measure, there is no end to the number of ways to stop people from visiting the IR. What we have done is to put in some barriers so Singaporeans can pause and think whether to cross it. We settled for S$100 for entry or S$2,000 for annual entry for 10 years, rather than chop and change and cause uncertainty to patrons and investors."
Mr. Wong cautioned that, no matter how hard a government tries to regulate gambling activity among its citizens, the ultimate decisions lie with the individual.
"If a person is bent on gambling, no measure will deter him. If he cannot gamble in Singapore, all he needs to do is to take a ferry to Batam, or to take a ride to Genting or to go on a cruise. No government, no NGO and no social do-gooder can stop him. Ultimately, the responsibility is his and the consequence is for him to bear. The unfortunate part is that his irresponsible behavior will affect his family," he said.
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