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An additional 15,000 Singaporeans and Permanent Residents will be excluded from the casinos through Third-Party Casino Exclusion.
This is part of MCYS' move to strengthen existing social safeguards and to protect the financially vulnerable from casino gambling.
The Third-Party Casino Exclusion, administered by the National Council on Problem Gambling (NCPG), will be extended to 2 groups of individuals.
The first group comprises 12,000 recipients of ComCare short to medium assistance. These recipients are mostly unemployed and/or in financial need. The exclusion will be effective from July 1, 2012.
The remaining 3,000 people are HDB flat tenants paying subsidised rents with rental arrears of 6 months or more. Their exclusion will kick in from August 1, 2012.
There are currently 28,000 persons who are excluded from the casinos under Third-Party Casino Exclusion. They comprise undischarged bankrupts and those on long term Public Assistance and Special Grants.
"The 2011 NCPG Gambling Participation Survey showed a small but increasing proportion of low income gamblers who betted large amounts. We want to move proactively to address this," says Acting Minister for Community Development, Youth and Sports Chan Chun Sing in February this year.
Separately, MCYS together with other government agencies are undertaking an ongoing review of the relevant legislation and regulations.
rchia@sph.com.sg