Singapore's two casinos have rolled out a tool that lets members set time and budget limits for their gambling sessions, and the Ministry of Social and Family Development announced the measures on Oct 28, in line with Responsible Gambling Awareness Week, which runs until Nov 61.
The informed play system kicked in at Resorts World Sentosa from February 2020 and at Marina Bay Sands from June 20221. When a patron's limits are reached, a casino staff member approaches them or they receive a notification on their mobile phone1. Registration to set limits can be done online1. The initiative is being progressively rolled out at some jackpot machine rooms, which are also working toward offering patrons the option of getting win-loss statements1.
Singapore Pools set up a risk-profiling tool in 2021 for its account holders to monitor how much they have placed in bets and the payouts earned, with tailored messages sent based on online betting behavior, such as a reminder if they are spending more than usual1.
The ministry said in response to queries from The Sunday Times that the measures aim to establish good responsible gambling standards within the industry1.
"The decision to continue gambling, however, sits solely with the patron unless there are any other observable signs that raise concerns, like if they were to fall asleep at the table."
According to the National Council on Problem Gambling, the median monthly betting amount among Singaporeans fell from $30 in 2017 to $15 in 2020, which could be due partly to Covid-19 restrictions on gambling activities1. Gambling participation rates, measuring the percentage of Singapore residents aged 18 and above who took part in at least one form of gambling, have stayed at around 50 percent since 20051.
Existing measures include the exclusion order, which bars an individual from entering casinos, jackpot rooms and gambling online with Singapore Pools, and the visit limit, which restricts the number of times an individual can enter a casino each month, ranging from one to eight visits1.
| Measure | Detail |
|---|---|
| Informed play system, Resorts World Sentosa | From February 20201 |
| Informed play system, Marina Bay Sands | From June 20221 |
| Singapore Pools risk-profiling tool | Set up in 20211 |
| Exclusion order | Bars entry to casinos, jackpot rooms and Singapore Pools online betting1 |
| Visit limit | One to eight casino visits a month1 |
Dr Thomas Lee, medical director of Resilienz Clinic, said the informed play system at casinos applies to only electronic gaming machines, and not all games, adding that a person could be gambling on a variety of games, both electronic and table games, which the system does not fully capture1. Psychotherapist Andrew da Roza of Promises Healthcare said those who have a gambling disorder and face significant distress are not likely to benefit from the new measures, because they avoid things like the assessment form or a win-loss statement1.
What it means for players
For casino members in Singapore, the limit-setting tool is voluntary and applies to electronic gaming machines, not table games, so a session at tables is not covered by the same reminders1. Limits can be registered online, which Marina Bay Sands said avoids any associated stigma that may dissuade patrons from using the tool1. Reaching a limit does not stop play on its own: the decision to continue sits with the patron unless staff observe other signs of concern1.
For people who already struggle to stop, the reported view is that self-monitoring tools are unlikely to help, and that an exclusion order or professional therapeutic intervention is the route described1. An exclusion order covers casinos, jackpot rooms and Singapore Pools online betting, while a visit limit caps casino entries at between one and eight a month1. More on these options is set out in our guides to safer gambling in Asia, signs of a gambling problem, signs a family member has a gambling problem, what gambling disorder is and gambling debt help. Country context is in Can I gamble in Singapore? and casino credit and gambling debts in Singapore.
What happens next
Responsible Gambling Awareness Week runs until Nov 61. The informed play system is being progressively rolled out at some jackpot machine rooms, which are working toward offering win-loss statements1. No completion date for that rollout has been reported.
