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Overstayers and passport scammers
by Ng Jing Yng and Zul Othman [email protected]
Updated 03:20 PM Feb 17, 2010
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SINGAPORE - The casino has been open for less than 72 hours and already several Singaporeans and permanent residents have tried to get in without paying the $100 levy, others who have overstayed their 24-hour entitlement and a pair of foreigners even tried to use their friends passports to get in.
These are just some of the bad apples in the barrel and Resorts World Sentosa (RWS) is taking a zero-tolerance approach to all of them.
The exact number of punters who had exceeded the 24 hours they were entitled to after paying the $100 one-day levy was not available at press time last night, but this much is clear: RWS is making sure overstayers pay an additional $100 levy.
"Even if it's just a matter of seconds, there's no room for negotiation," said a security guard when a MediaCorp reporter tried to exit the casino after the alloted time. As he provided an escort to the levy counters, he added: "Each patron must take charge of his own time allowance. The patron can argue that he enters at whatever time, but the system tracks the exact timing."
The $100 entry levy was one of the social safeguards implemented for Singaporeans and permanent residents, who can enter and exit the casino any number of times within the 24-hour period. But as another RWS staff recounted some had been caught up in their games and lost track of time.
MediaCorp did not see any clocks on the gaming floor, but the time was shown at the bottom-right corner of most of the LCD display screens.
So patrons are advised to synchronise the time on their watches or mobile phones with the time on the casino's entrance machines.
Those who bust the timing and refuse to pay a second levy can be fined up to $1,000 and/or be barred from entering the casino again.
Five locals were also caught trying to enter the casino without paying the levy - they were fined $1,000 each.
And on Monday, two foreigners were arrested for allegedly using their friends' passports to enter the casino, police told MediaCorp. The duo, believed to be Mongolians, were arrested on Monday evening by security officers.
The pair's friends, who were already inside the gaming hall, had allegedly managed to slip them their passports after clearing the security checks.
While it remains unclear if any action will be taken against the passport owners, a police spokesperson said that the two men arrested could be charged for cheating by impersonation. Investigations are in progress. They were released on bail yesterday. If found guilty, the pair could be sentenced to five years in jail, slapped with a fine or both.
To date, there have also not been any punters opting for the voluntary loss-limit scheme which allows them to cap their gambling limit, said RWS vice-president of communications Krist Boo. Similarly, no counselling has been done.
RWS has so far not identified any patrons for counselling, adding that these initiatives would be gradually implemented as "things become more stabilised in the days to come".
by Ng Jing Yng and Zul Othman [email protected]
Updated 03:20 PM Feb 17, 2010
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SINGAPORE - The casino has been open for less than 72 hours and already several Singaporeans and permanent residents have tried to get in without paying the $100 levy, others who have overstayed their 24-hour entitlement and a pair of foreigners even tried to use their friends passports to get in.
These are just some of the bad apples in the barrel and Resorts World Sentosa (RWS) is taking a zero-tolerance approach to all of them.
The exact number of punters who had exceeded the 24 hours they were entitled to after paying the $100 one-day levy was not available at press time last night, but this much is clear: RWS is making sure overstayers pay an additional $100 levy.
"Even if it's just a matter of seconds, there's no room for negotiation," said a security guard when a MediaCorp reporter tried to exit the casino after the alloted time. As he provided an escort to the levy counters, he added: "Each patron must take charge of his own time allowance. The patron can argue that he enters at whatever time, but the system tracks the exact timing."
The $100 entry levy was one of the social safeguards implemented for Singaporeans and permanent residents, who can enter and exit the casino any number of times within the 24-hour period. But as another RWS staff recounted some had been caught up in their games and lost track of time.
MediaCorp did not see any clocks on the gaming floor, but the time was shown at the bottom-right corner of most of the LCD display screens.
So patrons are advised to synchronise the time on their watches or mobile phones with the time on the casino's entrance machines.
Those who bust the timing and refuse to pay a second levy can be fined up to $1,000 and/or be barred from entering the casino again.
Five locals were also caught trying to enter the casino without paying the levy - they were fined $1,000 each.
And on Monday, two foreigners were arrested for allegedly using their friends' passports to enter the casino, police told MediaCorp. The duo, believed to be Mongolians, were arrested on Monday evening by security officers.
The pair's friends, who were already inside the gaming hall, had allegedly managed to slip them their passports after clearing the security checks.
While it remains unclear if any action will be taken against the passport owners, a police spokesperson said that the two men arrested could be charged for cheating by impersonation. Investigations are in progress. They were released on bail yesterday. If found guilty, the pair could be sentenced to five years in jail, slapped with a fine or both.
To date, there have also not been any punters opting for the voluntary loss-limit scheme which allows them to cap their gambling limit, said RWS vice-president of communications Krist Boo. Similarly, no counselling has been done.
RWS has so far not identified any patrons for counselling, adding that these initiatives would be gradually implemented as "things become more stabilised in the days to come".
