SINGAPORE: Another 15,000 financially vulnerable Singaporeans and Permanent Residents (PRs) will be barred from entering the two casinos in Singapore.
From July 2012, the third-party casino exclusion will be extended to 12,000 individuals who are receiving short to medium term ComCare assistance.
ComCare provides short term assistance to low-income families to support them as they take steps to become self-reliant through work. ComCare also provides medium-term assistance to those who are unable to work to support themselves and their families due to temporary illness, disability or other extenuating circumstances
These recipients are mostly unemployed or in financial need.
From August, 3,000 individuals paying subsidised rents for their HDB rental flats, and who have chalked up rental arrears of six months or more, will also be barred.
The Community Development, Youth and Sports Ministry (MCYS) said this is part of its move to strengthen existing social safeguards and to protect the financially vulnerable from casino gambling.
There are currently 28,000 persons who are excluded from the casinos under third-party casino exclusion.
They include undischarged bankrupts and those receiving long-term public assistance and special grants.
The third-party casino exclusion is administered by the National Council on Problem Gambling (NCPG).