Singaporean authorities have reported an increase in the number of people undergoing professional counselling for gambling addiction, with 967 people seeking help in 2018 – the highest number since 2014 when 1,035 sought help.
The figures, released by Singapore’s National Council on Problem Gambling (NCPG), come less than a week after it was announced that both Marina Bay Sands and Resorts World Sentosa had reached an agreement with the government for expansions totaling US$9 billion.
The NCPG has previously reported problem gambling rates as having remained relatively stable in recent years.
Notably though, the number of people to have self-excluded from Singapore’s casinos has risen substantially, up from 190,927 in 2014 to 348,856 last year.
Although the Singapore government last week granted permission for its two IR operators to expand, it also increased the entry fees imposed on local residents by 50% to SG$150 per 24-hour period and SG$3,000 per year.
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