Singapore Could Set up a System to Aid Problem Gamblers in the Future

According to reports in Singapore gambling news, the country may be looking at ways to assist problem gamers in the land, by adding what are known as “circuit breakers”, a highly beneficial form of addiction assistance that has proven a success abroad.

Singapore is rumored to be studying the logistics of the idea, that is currently in operation in Australia, Austria and the Netherlands. In short, circuit breakers are aimed at those gamblers who have a weak resolve, and crack easily when faced with addiction to gambling.

Much like a typical circuit breaker, the idea would revolve around cutting off a problem gamers power to the game itself, leaving them with little choice but to relax and refocus themselves, before being allowed to continue in the casino. There are several methods currently discussed about how to go about doing this.

Despite it being over two years since Singaporean gambling laws approved the opening of two officially legalized casinos, the country is still struggling to study the affects of the casino on gamers deemed to fall into the scope of a problem gambler.

Circuit breaker methods that have been discussed to cull the amount of problem gamers reported have included, ensuring that the casinos have a team of caring counselors on hand to assist problem gamblers.

It is also rumored the circuit breaker system may include casino red flagging certain clients who are seen to gamble to excessively, and even encouraging the casinos to ban any players that turn in compulsive gamblers.

The spokesperson for Community Development, Youth And Sports Ministry is currently looking at the employment of circuit breakers across Singapore, and had the following to say: “Holland Casino and Casinos Austria practice visitor registration and assess if gamblers who visit frequently are at risk of incurring harm to themselves.”

He went on to add: “If they think that there is harm, they may decide to impose visit limits or exclude the gambler from the casinos. Crown Casino runs a Responsible Gaming Support Centre staffed by trained professionals who offer support, counseling and referral services to gamblers in distress. They also have Play Safe limits which essentially help gamblers to voluntarily set limits in terms of time and betting amounts.”

With other gambling facilities banned and the ability to bet on sports in Singapore non-existent, then problem gamblers seem to be settled around the two legal casinos in the country. Though, statistics haven’t shown a significant increase in problem gamers at all in the two years since they have been open.

Singapore already has a few safeguards in place to stop financially vulnerable people from gambling in casinos and poker rooms. Currently Singapore charges a $100 daily entry fee into the casino, or a $2,000 annual fee. Singapore also bars any person with a history of bankruptcy from entering its casinos, and also advocate players placing “loss limits” before playing.