However, in Singapore, even with the two massive casinos opening, the number of people becoming addicted to gambling in Singapore has decreased. As per the report by the NCPG mentioned at the beginning of this article, the number of permanent residents of Singapore that had a problem with gambling was only 0.9% in 2017. Sportsmen who have battled a gambling problem can use their traumatic experiences to educate and help fellow professionals struggling with the same affliction. That is the message from Michelle Evans, head of communications and well-being at the Professional Footballers' Association Scotland, who says the problem appears to be growing. Problem gambling refers to a less severe form of gambling disorder. It covers a wide range of adverse consequences as a result of gambling, but does not meet the full criteria in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, 4th Edition (DSM-IV)2to satisfy a diagnosis of pathological gambling.

While the problem gambling rate dropped from 2.6 per cent in 2011 to 0.7 per cent in 2014, according to a gambling survey carried out every three years by the National Council on Problem Gambling.

by Chia, Joshua Yeong Jia

Even before the two casinos in Marina Bay Sands and Resorts World Sentosa opened in 2010, Singaporeans had been gambling away billions of dollars each year.
Background
A report published in 2005 revealed that Singapore Pools, a state-linked lottery operator in Singapore, had a yearly turnover of S$4 billion, which worked out to S$11 million per day.¹ Another report published the same year found that, excluding illegal betting or speculation in stocks or derivatives, at least S$7 billion was spent on gambling in Singapore in 2004.² A survey conducted by the Ministry of Community Development, Youth and Sports between end 2004 and early 2005 indicated that 58 percent of Singaporeans aged 18 years and above had gambled over the past one year, with 2.1 percent showing signs of gambling addiction.³ A typical gambler wagered an average of S$244 every month. The lottery games offered by Singapore Pools were the most popular, with 4-D, Toto and Singapore Sweep taking the top three spots and over 30 percent of Singapore residents participating in these games.⁴

Gambling and common practices
Motorists and passers-by have been observed recording the four-digit registration numbers of vehicles involved in accidents in the hopes of winning the 4-D lottery. Some punters have even appeared at the scene of murders and at the funerals of murder victims to pray or to look for lucky numbers.⁵ There has been at least one complaint made to the press about television charity shows being akin to gambling because they offered donors the chance of winning prizes.⁶
Social gambling – including mahjong, card games, and other games played with friends and family involving money – came in fourth, with a 17-percent participation rate. Scratch It!, a scratch-and-win game launched in 2004, gained quick popularity with 12-percent participation rate.⁷ According to the 2005 report by MSF, table games and slot machines in local and overseas venues, sports betting, horse betting and online gambling were less popular gambling activities in Singapore. However, more money was spent on these activities. An average of S$387 and S$288 were spent every month on sports betting and table games (on cruises and in casinos) respectively, while only S$93, S$48, and S$27 were spent on 4-D, Toto, and Singapore Sweep respectively.⁸
On 18 April 2005, Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong announced the government’s approval of the development of two “integrated resorts”, which would combine casinos with other entertainment facilities, at Marina Bayfront and Sentosa.⁹ The first casino, located within the Resorts World Sentosa integrated resort, opened on 14 February 2010. The second casino, housed in the Marina Bay Sands integrated resort, opened two months later on 27 April 2010.¹⁰ By 2013, the combined gross gaming revenue of the two casinos in Singapore had reached S$7.66 billion. In spite of this, Singapore Pools’ turnover for 4-D, Toto, Singapore Sweep and sports betting continued to grow, reaching S$6.34 billion in 2015.¹¹
A survey conducted by Ngee Ann Polytechnic in 2003 revealed that two-thirds of Singaporeans between the ages of 40 and 59 did not believe that they had sufficient savings for retirement, and that almost 40 percent were counting on winnings from Toto and 4-D bets for their retirement funds.¹² A national study conducted in 2010 found that the elderly in Singapore were not any more prone to gambling addiction than other age groups, but nevertheless singled them out as vulnerable because they tended to have more free time and disposable income.¹³ In 2015, the Thye Hua Kwan Problem Gambling Recovery Centre and the National Addictions Management Service at the Institute of Mental Health reported a 60-percent increase in cases of problem gambling between 2012 and 2014, compared to the period between 2009 and 2011. The government attributed the increase to greater public awareness about problem gambling and the promotion of help-seeking behaviour.¹⁴

Author
Joshua Chia Yeong Jia

References
1. Even without a casino, Singaporeans love gambling to death. (2005, April 17). Agence France Presse. Retrieved from Factiva via NLB’s eResources website: http://eresources.nlb.gov.sg
2. Long, S. (2005, July 2). Beast within gambling. TheStraits Times, p. 9. Retrieved from NewspaperSG.
3. Ministry of Community Development, Youth and Sports. (2005, April 13). Report of survey on participation in gambling activities among Singapore residents, 2005. Retrieved 2017, July 17 from Ministry of Social and Family Development website: https://www.ncpg.org.sg/en/pdf/publications-survey-gambling05.pdf
4. Ministry of Community Development, Youth and Sports. (2005, April 13). Report of survey on participation in gambling activities among Singapore residents, 2005. Retrieved 2017, July 17 f.m Ministry of Social and Family Development website: https://www.ncpg.org.sg/en/pdf/publications-survey-gambling05.pdf
5. The Sunday Times 4-D and the sick. (2005, June 26). TheStraits Times, p. 24. Retrieved from NewspaperSG; Even without a casino, Singaporeans love gambling to death. (2005, April 17). .ence France Presse. Retrieved from Factiva via NLB’s eResources website: http://eresources.nlb.gov.sg|
6. Lian, W. J. J. (2005, July 2). Giving to charity is now like gambling. TheStraits Times, p. 15. Retrieved from NewspaperSG.
7. Ministry of Communication Development, Youth and Sports. (2005, April 13). Report of survey on participation in gambling activities among Singapore residents, 2005. Retrieved 2017, July 17 from Ministry of Social and Family Development website: https://www.ncpg.org.sg/en/pdf/publications-survey-gambling05.pdf; Fong, T., & Goh, S. (2004, December 4). Scratch fever hits hopeful punters. The Straits Times, p. 3. Retrieved from NewspaperSG.
8. Ministry of Community Development, Youth and Sports. (2005, April 13). Report of survey on participation in gambling activities among Singapore residents, 2005. Retrieved 2017, July 17 from Ministry of Social and Family Development website: https://www.ncpg.org.sg/en/pdf/publications-survey-gambling05.pdf
9. Government of Singapore. (2005, April 18). Statement by Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong on integrated resort on Monday, 18 April 2005 at Parliament House. Retrieved from Ministry of Trade and Industry website: https://www.mti.gov.sg/MTIInsights/Documents/Ministerial%20Statement%20-%20PM%2018apr05.pdf
10. Sim, A. (2010, April 30). 36,000 visit Marina Bay IR in first 24hrs. TheBusiness Times, p. 4; Ramchandani, N. (2010, February 16). Casino opens with a bang, queues raise whimpers. TheBusiness Times, p. 1. Retrieved from NewspaperSG.
11. Tan, T. (2015, February 8). S’pore punters spend US$5.9 million on bettings in a year. The Straits Times. Retrieved from Factiva via NLB’s eResources website: http://eresources.nlb.gov.sg/
12. Leong, C. T., & Almenoar, M. (2004, December 18). Can you afford to retire?TheStraits Times, p. 2. Retrieved from NewspaperSG.
13. Lim, L. K. (2012, November 6). Elderly not more prone to gambling: Study. The Straits Times, p. 1. Retrieved from NewspaperSG.
14. Problem gambling: 60% more cases seen in last 3 years. (2015, July 14), Channel NewsAsia; Siau, M. E. (2015, July 14). Close to 60% rise in problem gambling cases seen at designated help centres: Chuan-Jin. Today. Retrieved from Factiva via NLB’s eResources website: http://eresources.nlb.gov.sg/
Further resources
Pereira, B. (1991, May 13). $2b gambled away by Singaporeans. TheStraits Times, p. 20. Retrieved from NewspaperSG.
Singapore says ‘yes’ to two integrated resorts with casinos. (2005, April 18). Channel NewsAsia. Retrieved from Factiva via NLB’s eResources website: http://eresources.nlb.gov.sg

The information in this article is valid as at 2015 and correct as far as we are able to ascertain from our sources. It is not intended to be an exhaustive or complete history of the subject. Please contact the Library for further reading materials on the topic.

Subject
>Regulatory role>>Gambling&type=articles'>Law and government>>Regulatory role>>Gambling
Sports and Recreation
>Social problems>>Compulsive gambling&type=articles'>People and communities>>Social problems>>Compulsive gambling
Gambling--Singapore
Recreation

Medically reviewed:06/22/2018
Last updated: 04/17/2020
Author: Addictions.com Medical Review

Reading Time: 7minutes

What is Gambling Addiction?

Gambling addiction or gambling disorder is defined as persistent and recurring problematic gambling behavior that causes distress and impairs your overall livelihood. Gambling addiction affects roughly 0.2% to 0.3% of the general U.S. population, and tends to affects males more than females, though this gender gap has narrowed in recent years. Gambling disorder is a behavioral addiction that can be effectively treated using a range of cognitive and behavioral therapies.

The desire to buy scratch tickets, play slot machines, and visit casinos aren’t necessarily signs of gambling addiction. But when the desire to gamble becomes overwhelming to the point you can’t stop thinking about it until you gamble on something, may be a sign you need help. Those who suffer from gambling addiction will continue to gamble despite negative financial, legal, and social consequences.

Gambling disorder is a brain disease that can cause you to do things you wouldn’t normally do if you weren’t suffering from addiction. Behavioral addictions like gambling disorder are often difficult to manage and control without getting professional help. Addiction treatment centers can help you overcome gambling addiction and teach you important skills aimed at helping you repair problems in your life caused by your disorder.

What are the Signs and Symptoms of Gambling Addiction?

There are no physical health symptoms associated with gambling disorder. Familiarizing yourself with common gambling addiction behaviors can clue you into whether you or a loved one may need professional help.

Chasing after losses is the most common tell-tale sign of gambling disorder. This particular symptom is marked by the urgent need to continue gambling to earn back a loss or series of losses. Individuals diagnosed with gambling disorder may abandon their usual gambling strategies to win back all losses at once and may lie to family, friends, and therapists to hide the severity of their addiction.

The following behaviors are potential signs of gambling addiction:

• Needing to gamble using increasing amounts of money to achieve the desired rush and excitement.
• Feeling restless or irritable when trying to reduce or stop gambling.
• Inability to control, reduce, or quit gambling despite numerous repeated attempts.
• Preoccupation with gambling, such as devising ways to get more gambling money and reliving past gambling experiences.
• Gambling when experiencing feelings of distress, helplessness, guilt, anxiety, and depression.
• Chasing after your losses to get even after losing money gambling.
• Lying to conceal the severity of gambling behaviors, and the addiction.
• Loss of personal relationships, job, and educational pursuits due to gambling.
• Replying on others to provide money to resolve financial situations caused by gambling, such as a threat of eviction from the home.

Those with a mild gambling addiction may exhibit between four and five of these behaviors, while those with a moderately severe gambling addiction may exhibit six to seven of these behaviors. People who suffer from severe gambling addiction will usually exhibit all nine behaviors. Moderate to severe cases of gambling disorder tend to be more common than mild cases.

You might have a gambling problem if:

• You feel compelled to keep gambling until you’ve spent your last dollar. You may keep bidding until you’ve spent everything to win your money back, or you continue increasing bet amounts.
• You hide your gambling from friends or family members. You may sneak off to gamble without telling anyone, or lie about your gambling activities.
• You spend money you don’t have on gambling. You may use money intended for important bills like rent, mortgage, car payments, credit card bills, and other expenses for gambling.
• You steal from others or sell your possessions so you can gamble. You may steal money or belongings from others so you can gamble, or sell or pawn valuable possessions like musical instruments and vehicles to obtain more gambling money.
• You prioritize gambling over obligations related to work, school, family. You may stop going to work or school so you can gamble, or stop buying household necessities so you can use the money for gambling instead.
• You’re experiencing financial hardships due to gambling. You may have lost your home, car, job, and important personal possessions due to gambling.
• You’re facing a range of negative emotions triggered by gambling. Gambling may be a serious problem in your life if it’s triggering depression, anxiety, frustration, agitation, and remorse.
• You want to stop gambling but can’t. You have tried to stop gambling but can’t seem to stop despite your desire to do better and to stop gambling.

Negative Effects of Gambling Addiction

Gambling addiction can produce many more negative effects than just financial hardship. Gambling disorder can affect your physical health, mental health, and social functioning, and lead to the loss of important relationships with friends and loved ones. You may also suffer a decline in work or school performance, and feel more restless and bored with all other areas of life that don’t involve gambling.

Those who suffer from gambling addiction tend to suffer from higher rates of poor general health than those who don’t gamble. Tachycardia and angina are common health problems among those diagnosed with gambling addiction. Many who suffer from gambling disorder also tend to experience distortions in thinking surrounding their addiction, such as superstitions, overconfidence, and a sense of power over the outcome of chance events. Nearly 50% of those receiving treatment for gambling disorder experience suicidal ideation, while an estimated 17% have tried to commit suicide.

Sg Gambling Problem Definition

The negative effects of problem gambling include:

• Financial problems including high debt, poverty, or bankruptcy
• Domestic violence and child abuse in families
• Suicidal thoughts, attempts, or the act of suicide
• Legal troubles, including arrests for theft or prostitution
• Behavior problems in children of problem gamblers
• Depression, anxiety, and other mental health disorders
• Loss of relationships with friends and family
• A decline in performance at work or school
• Suicide and death
• A risk for drug or alcohol abuse

How Does Gambling Addiction Interact with Addiction?

Alcohol and cocaine are the two most common substances associated with gambling and binge gambling, respectively. Alcohol is legally available in most gambling settings such as bars and casinos and is often rewarded to gamblers for free at many of these establishments. Roughly 44% of people with gambling disorder in the U.S. also suffer from an alcohol use disorder.

Binge gambling is defined as intermittent episodes of uncontrolled gambling after long periods of abstinence. For instance, a person who practices binge gambling may only visit the casino five times per year but gamble non-stop for long periods during their stay. Cocaine use tends to be common among these gamblers since it produces stimulating effects of increased energy, alertness, focus, concentration, and confidence.

Individuals with gambling disorders tend to suffer higher rates of co-occurring alcohol and drug use disorders compared to their peers. Gambling often takes place in environments that enable and encourage alcohol and drug use. Gambling can also trigger mental health conditions like anxiety and depression, which many may self-treat using alcohol and drugs like marijuana, painkillers, and other addictive substances.

How Are Gambling Addiction and Substance Use Treated?

Gambling addiction is commonly treated using cognitive and behavioral therapies that treat the root psychological causes of your addiction. These therapies also help you identify and change negative, unhealthy thoughts and behaviors that may have led to your gambling addiction. Treatments for gambling addiction can be tailored especially for you or your loved one based on the factors surrounding your disorder.

Gambling addiction can also be treated using community reinforcement, group therapy, and 12-step support groups like Gamblers Anonymous. These treatments help you identify your triggers that can lead to gambling and teach you ways to overcome and manage those triggers. For instance, if a stressful day at work usually makes you feel like gambling, you may learn yoga, deep breathing, or other healthy methods that relieve stress without putting your health and well-being at risk.

Gambling Addiction Help

If you or someone you love needs treatment for gambling addiction, it’s important that you use a treatment approach that best suits your recovery needs. Gambling addiction treatment is available in many different settings, including inpatient and outpatient treatment settings.

Sg Gambling Problem Games

Inpatient gambling addiction treatment can greatly benefit those who suffer from severe gambling disorder, and who have suffered severe financial, legal, or social problems. Inpatient treatment includes around-the-clock supervision in a hospital-like setting where you can live for the duration of your treatment program. The intense level of therapy, counseling, and supervision provided by inpatient treatment centers can help significantly reduce the risk of relapse while in recovery.

Sg Gambling Problem Meaning

Compulsive gamblers often need support from friends, family members, and peers to help them stop gambling. Gamblers Anonymous groups can provide peer and social support for those in recovery or for those who wish they can stop gambling. These groups can provide a solid, healthy foundation for a successful and long-term recovery from gambling addiction.

Sg Gambling Problem Solving

Here’s how to help a family member or loved one suffering from a gambling addiction:

• Understand the addiction. The first thing you can do to help a loved one who is addicted to gambling is to learn all you can about the addiction. Find a support group that can help you cope with the stress that comes from having a loved one who is addicted to gambling.
• Find support. Support for yourself and for your loved one who is addicted can be very beneficial in helping with a gambling addiction. Many support groups are available throughout communities and in treatment centers. Therapists and counselors can also provide support for gambling addiction.
• Manage money tightly. If your loved one is addicted to gambling and is actively pursuing help, take over managing all financial responsibilities for your loved one. This can help reduce any gambling impulses your loved one may be experiencing throughout their recovery.