Gambling Social Safeguards

We recognise the harmful effects that gambling can have on individuals and their loved ones. We work closely with the National Council on Problem Gambling (NCPG) and other partners to minimise the social impact of problem gambling on individuals and their families in Singapore.

Key Strategies

We adopt a multi-pronged approach towards tackling problem gambling, encompassing three key areas: 1) preventive measures through public education, 2) mitigation measures through social safeguards, and 3) remedial measures through help services for problem gamblers and their families.

1) Public Education

It is important to understand the risks of gambling as the harms of problem gambling can be serious and it affects not just the problem gambler but the people around him/her. The National Council on Problem Gambling (NCPG)'s public education campaigns and outreach programmes raise awareness of problem gambling and encourage gamblers and family members affected by problem gambling to seek help.

2) Gambling Social Safeguards

Problem gambling inflicts detrimental effects on individuals, their loved ones and society. To minimise the social costs of gambling and address the issues of problem gambling, the Government has put in place a comprehensive suite of social safeguards. These social safeguards aim to protect vulnerable groups, deter casual gambling and minimise the harmful effects of gambling. These measures have helped Singapore maintain a stable gambling and problem gambling situation, with the probable pathological and problem gambling (PPG) rate remaining low and stable.

General Safeguards

Social safeguards	Casinos	Gaming machine rooms	Singapore Pools Lottery, sports and horse racing
Age restrictions	No entry for persons under 21 years old.		Remote betting Persons under 21 years old are not allowed to open an account. Terrestrial betting Persons under 18 years old are not allowed to place bets. Persons under 21 years old are not allowed to enter live betting venues, such as off-course betting centres and Livewire venues.
Entry, access and financial controls	Casino entry levies. Credit restrictions for local patrons.	A minimum one-year club membership is required for entry. Guests are not allowed. Limited operating hours.	Limited operating hours. No betting on credit. Remote betting only Account holders must set monthly funding and expenditure limits.
Exclusions Refer to the section on safeguards administered by NCPG for more information.	Self-Exclusion. Family Exclusion Order. Third-Party Exclusion Order. Exclusion by Law.		Remote betting only Self-Exclusion from opening or maintaining a remote betting account. Persons under a Family Exclusion Order, Third-Party Exclusion Order or Exclusion by Law are not allowed to open or maintain an account.
Advertising and promotion restrictions	Restrictions on targeting the domestic market, including Singapore Citizens and Permanent Residents. All advertising and promotional materials require GRA approval.	Advertising and promotion of jackpot machines are not allowed.	All advertising and promotional materials require GRA approval.

Safeguards administered by NCPG

Exclusion and Visit Limit Regime	Barred from entry to premises or participation in gambling
Exclusion and Visit Limit Regime	Casinos	Gaming Machine Rooms	Remote Singapore Pools Lottery, sports and horse racing
Family Exclusion Orders (FEO) Family members may request that a person be excluded from gambling venues, even without the person’s consent. This helps families intervene when a loved one may have a gambling problem but does not recognise it or is unwilling to seek help.	Yes	Yes	Yes
Family Visit Limits (FVL) Family members may apply to limit how frequently a person visits a casino. A Family Visit Limit applies only to Singapore Citizens and Permanent Residents.	Yes	Not applicable	Not applicable
Exclusion by Law (EBL) Certain individuals are automatically barred from gambling venues and activities based on criteria set out in legislation.	Yes	Yes	Yes
Self-Exclusion (SE) Individuals may voluntarily exclude themselves from gambling venues and activities. They may choose exclusion from one or more gambling platforms.	Options to be excluded from one or more gambling platforms
Voluntary Visit Limit (VVL) Individuals may voluntarily limit how frequently they visit a casino while continuing to gamble within their chosen boundaries.	Yes	Not applicable	Not applicable
Third-Party Exclusion Order (TPEO) NCPG may issue an exclusion order without an application when a person is assessed to be vulnerable to financial harm because of gambling.	Yes	Yes	Yes
Third-Party Visit Limit (TPVL) NCPG may impose a visit limit without an application when a person is assessed to be vulnerable to financial harm because of gambling.	Yes	Not applicable	Not applicable

3) Support for Problem Gamblers and Their Families

Problem gambling affects more than just finances, impacting family relationships, emotional wellbeing and employment. To support rehabilitation, NCPG collaborates with the National Addictions Management Service (NAMS) to operate the National Problem Gambling Helpline 1800-6-668-668 and Webchat. Trained counsellors staff both services daily from 8am to 11pm, providing information on problem gambling, NCPG exclusions and visit limits and counselling for problem gamblers and their families.

NCPG partners with Social Service Agencies (SSAs) to deliver comprehensive support services including support groups and professional interventions such as individual, family and group therapy. These programmes address the emotional, marital and mental health issues arising from problem gambling, supporting recovery for both gamblers and their families.

There are five SSAs which NCPG works closely with.

Support groups
• Adullam Life Counselling (ALC)
• Blessed Grace Social Services Limited (BGSS)
• The Silver Lining Community Services Limited (TSL)

Individual/family counselling and group therapy
• One Hope Centre (OHC)
• WE CARE Community Services Limited (WC)

Details on support services and assistance for issues related to problem gambling