Authorities in Singapore Look for Better Ways to Supervise Online Casino Games

Authorities in Singapore are working to assert control over the online casino game industry as well as find ways to control a rise in gambling addiction among the population. In order to achieve this, they are working towards preventing online casino players from accessing top online casino game sites.

Singapore has seen a significant rise in online casino game sites and players in search of no deposit bonus codes. Players are consistently placing bets on their smartphones at mobile online casinos as well as at home and at the office. According to Asia News Network, last year, top online casino sites raked in $357 million from players in Singapore. Previously, the figure was $312 million in 2010 and $271 million in 2009.

Chan Chun Sing, Minister for Community Development, Youth and Sports recently labeled online casino games as “an emerging concern” to the country.

MP for Chua Chu Kang, GRC Zaqy Mohamad stated, “To a certain sense, it will be difficult to police. It’s something we probably have to study in greater detail. It’s the same issue we have with pornography. It’s difficult to monitor every single screen that goes on. Between online gaming and online gambling, there’s sometimes a fine line. If you play a casino online game for example, BlackJack, is that gambling? When do you consider it gambling – when you transact money or when it is just credits?”

Authorities are also concerned about the increase in gambling addiction. Anne Chui, a counselor at the National Addictions Management Service, Institute of Mental Health, believes that one of the hardest things about combating addiction is that online casino games are available and accessible 24/7. Chui recommended,  “What can be done is the gambler himself can install a software on the computer that actually blocks out online casino games sites. I do see some of my patients doing that.”