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SINGAPORE : More people have sought help for gambling-related issues since the casino at Resorts World Sentosa opened on February 14.
Figures by the National Council on Problem Gambling (NCPG) showed that callers to its helpline have more than doubled in the last two months, compared to when the helpline first opened last October.
The helpline received about 450 calls in February and 520 in March, compared to a monthly average of 200 between October and January.
The council said more people are now aware of gambling issues since the casino opened.
Twelve counsellors man the 24-hour hotline and the type of issues that they are dealing with have also grown more complex.
Mildred Tan, Chairperson of the Council's Public Communications Subcommittee, said, "Typically in the past, they would just ask us questions about where they can seek help and how to recognise if someone is a problem gambler. Now there's a lot more sharing on the lines. They will tell us who in the family has a problem and it could also go into social issues such as, if the person has left the family and that he has left because the loansharks are after him and you can see the dysfunctional issues appearing in the family."
The council said some of these calls eventually translate into actual exclusion orders being issued.
Forty-nine family exclusion orders have been issued since applications opened in April last year, with 16 issued in February and 14 in March.
There was also a spike in those applying to bar themselves from the casino in the last two months.
The council has received 567 applications - 191 in February and 218 in March - for self-exclusion orders since applications began in November 2009.
More people are expected to seek help when the Marina Bay Sands casino opens on April 27.
And the council said it is working with casino operators to ensure safeguards against problem gambling are implemented effectively.
Mrs Tan said, for example, the council has offered Resorts World Sentosa feedback on where help cards can be placed.
"The help cards were initially placed where you pay the S$100 [casino levy], now they have extended it to put it in the bathroom for example, so that nobody knows I'm picking up a help card or things like that."
Other suggestions include displaying NCPG posters more prominently in the casino.
- CNA/il
Figures by the National Council on Problem Gambling (NCPG) showed that callers to its helpline have more than doubled in the last two months, compared to when the helpline first opened last October.
The helpline received about 450 calls in February and 520 in March, compared to a monthly average of 200 between October and January.
The council said more people are now aware of gambling issues since the casino opened.
Twelve counsellors man the 24-hour hotline and the type of issues that they are dealing with have also grown more complex.
Mildred Tan, Chairperson of the Council's Public Communications Subcommittee, said, "Typically in the past, they would just ask us questions about where they can seek help and how to recognise if someone is a problem gambler. Now there's a lot more sharing on the lines. They will tell us who in the family has a problem and it could also go into social issues such as, if the person has left the family and that he has left because the loansharks are after him and you can see the dysfunctional issues appearing in the family."
The council said some of these calls eventually translate into actual exclusion orders being issued.
Forty-nine family exclusion orders have been issued since applications opened in April last year, with 16 issued in February and 14 in March.
There was also a spike in those applying to bar themselves from the casino in the last two months.
The council has received 567 applications - 191 in February and 218 in March - for self-exclusion orders since applications began in November 2009.
More people are expected to seek help when the Marina Bay Sands casino opens on April 27.
And the council said it is working with casino operators to ensure safeguards against problem gambling are implemented effectively.
Mrs Tan said, for example, the council has offered Resorts World Sentosa feedback on where help cards can be placed.
"The help cards were initially placed where you pay the S$100 [casino levy], now they have extended it to put it in the bathroom for example, so that nobody knows I'm picking up a help card or things like that."
Other suggestions include displaying NCPG posters more prominently in the casino.
- CNA/il
