Singapore:
Singapore’s two casinos offer a tool that allows members to limit their gambling time and money.
Patrons who exceed the limit will be approached by casino staff or notified via their mobile phones.
The informed play system was introduced at the Resorts World Sentosa (RWS) casinos in February 2020 and at Marina Bay Sands(MBS) starting June 2022.
Some jackpot machine rooms are gradually rolling out the initiative. They also plan to implement measures like offering win-loss statements to patrons.
These measures were announced by the Ministry of Social and Family Development on October 28, in keeping with Responsible Gambling Awareness Week, which runs until November 6.
Responding to questions from The Sunday Times, it stated that the measures were intended to promote responsible gambling within the industry.
Singapore Pools has a risk-profiling tool that allows account holders to track how much they have bet and how much they have earned.
These customers will receive tailored messages based on their online betting behavior, such as reminders if they spend more than usual.
According to the National Council on Problem Gambling (NCPG), Singapore’s median monthly gambling amount has dropped from $30 to $15 per month in 2017 to $15 by 2020. This could partly be due to Covid-19 restrictions on gambling.
Since 2005, the Gambling Participation Rate, which measures the percentage of Singaporeans aged 18 or above who have played at least one form of gambling, has been around 50%.
Joseph Bufalino, executive director of responsible gaming at MBS, stated that the informed gambling system aims to help gamblers manage their money and time in casinos.
He stated that the patron is responsible for continuing gambling if the patron has reached the limit.
Bufalino said patrons could register to set limits online, so they don’t have to be concerned about stigma.
Desmond Cheah is an RWS responsible gambling ambassador. He said the system lets patrons know when it’s time for a break.
He said, “When I approach them and tell them they have reached their limits,” he added.
People who deal with problem gamblers say the new initiatives complement existing measures, such as applying for an exclusion order and casino visit limit that can be used to help them manage their gambling behavior.
One can only enter casinos and jackpot rooms or gamble online with Singapore Pools with an exclusion order. The number of visits a person can make to a casino per month is limited. It can be anywhere from one to eight stops.
Ms. Tham Yuen Han, executive director of We Care Community Services, which provides support groups for problem gamblers, said it was important for people to practice self-monitoring and set limits before getting sucked into the game.
She said that some gamblers need to track how much time and money they have spent.
“It’s good that gamblers get a reminder telling them to stop.”
Promises Healthcare psychotherapist Andrew da Roza said the new measures would prevent gamblers from falling into a gambling disorder. This condition is where people have an insatiable desire to continue gambling, regardless of the financial and emotional costs.
These new measures are unlikely to benefit those with a gambling disorder or who experience significant distress in life.
Mr da Roza stated that this group is struggling to quit gambling and would not complete the assessment form or get a win-loss report because they don’t want to know how much they are losing click here to visit official.
He said family members should be able to apply for an exemption order or receive professional therapy interventions.
Resilienz Clinic’s medical director, Dr. Thomas Lee, stated that the self-assessment tool raises awareness about gamblers and whether or not they are at risk for addiction.
However, he said that the informed playing system in casinos only applies to electronic gaming machines and not all games.
Dr. Lee stated that a person could gamble on many casino games, including electronic and table games. The system does not fully capture this possibility.
