It's off to the gambling tables on their days off

[Musicwhiz]

These foreign workers who indulge in wanton gambling are doing a disservice to themselves and their families back home! Imagine a few months' worth of wages being gambled away in a few days! Horrifying!

Nov 6, 2010
foreign workers & casinos
It's off to the gambling tables on their days off
More foreign workers head to casinos; many lose their pay, savingsBy Melissa Kok & Teh Joo Lin

It was 8am on a Sunday.

Instead of spending time with his friends on his day off, foreign worker Ramesh, 34, was at the casino at Resorts World Sentosa (RWS), trying out his luck at the tables.

By noon, he had lost around $500 - about half his monthly salary - on baccarat and poker.

Running out of cash, he then asked a friend to transfer $100 into his bank account so he could try to recoup his losses.

'I didn't want to go to the casino at first, but my friends told me I can win money so I go,' he told The Straits Times when reporters visited the casino last Sunday.

The Indian national from Chennai, who has been working in Singapore as a technician for the past 12 years, started visiting the casino late last month.

And within a week, he had wiped out his entire savings of $2,000, and even resorted to borrowing about $1,500 from friends. 'If I have some money, I cannot 'tahan', I'll go to the casino,' said Mr Ramesh, who would gamble not only on his days off, but also after work on weekdays as he could not resist the urge.

He was among at least 10 foreign workers who spoke to The Straits Times when reporters visited the RWS casino on Sunday. And many of them have similar stories to tell.

Work permit holders like Mr Ramesh are a common sight at the casinos in RWS and Marina Bay Sands. Many started heading to the casinos either out of curiosity or because their friends told them they could make a quick buck through gambling. Others say they were there to enjoy the cool air-conditioning and free drinks offered.

Some said that before the casinos opened, they spent their days off with friends and co-workers in places such as Little India.

Now they head to the casinos. Among the workers are Chinese nationals and South Asians.

Workers interviewed declined to give their full names for fear of their employers finding out and cancelling their work permits. All admitted they were gambling without their bosses' knowledge. Some said their bosses have advised them against going to the casinos; and there were those who are not too worried about losing their hard-earned money as they would 'set a limit' first.

Mr Ram, 36, who has been spending his entire Sundays at RWS for the past two months, says he brings only $100 to gamble each time. If he loses that, he will leave. He said he set a limit because 'my salary - $1,200 a month - is very low'.

'Sometimes win, sometimes lose. Now about even,' said Mr Ram, who usually takes a train down to RWS from his Woodlands dormitory.

But for Mr Velanganni, 36, who works as a manual labourer for a trading firm, the habit is getting out of hand. He has gambled away $4,000, or around four months of his salary, since he started visiting RWS five months ago out of curiosity. He got hooked on gambling after he won $300.

'It was a happy feeling at first when I won... Sometimes I win maybe $50 or $100, but most of the time, I'm losing,' said Mr Velanganni, who had just lost another $550 when reporters approached him.

He admitted that his parents in Chennai are upset with him for gambling. Asked if he would stop going to the casino, he said: 'I think it's the last time today... I keep losing, I'm going to quit.'

melk@sph.com.sg

joolin@sph.com.sg

[sgd]

it was reported sands made 630m .. and that's just for 1 quarter.

Casino only fear is that people don't visit them, if somebody visit them there's very high chance they will gamble out of curiosity even put a coin in a fruit machine is also considered gamble. Some after discover the "rush" of winning are hooked.

I've personally never stepped into a casino in my whole life so casinos are afraid of having people like me and if everybody like me don't step into casino they will sure collapse but out of 10 people 9 have gambled sometime in their life. So even if you don't go casino and gamble there, at some point in your life there will be big sweep lottery, donation lottery, 4D toto government will still take your money.

[Musicwhiz]

it was reported sands made 630m .. and that's just for 1 quarter.

Casino only fear is that people don't visit them, if somebody visit them there's very high chance they will gamble out of curiosity even put a coin in a fruit machine is also considered gamble. Some after discover the "rush" of winning are hooked.

I've personally never stepped into a casino in my whole life so casinos are afraid of having people like me and if everybody like me don't step into casino they will sure collapse but out of 10 people 9 have gambled sometime in their life. So even if you don't go casino and gamble there, at some point in your life there will be big sweep lottery, donation lottery, 4D toto government will still take your money.

I've visited casinos located in Cambodia, Phnom Penh before. There is now a blanket ban on all casinos operating "illegally" there, and most have had to close down since 2009 except for the largest operator Naga World. I've stepped inside Naga World once and a few of the smaller casinos as well. So far never been tempted to play at the card tables or slot machines; I normally just observe and watch as my colleagues try their hand at some of the games.

In a huge casino like Naga World, you lose track of time - there are no clocks and the ceiling is painted to look like daytime. There is also soft music playing and the temperature is calibrated just so that it's comfortable - not too hot and not too cold. In short, it's all been calculated to make you stay until you lose ALL your money. Yes it's insidious but that's the way it works.

Thus far I have not let the evil taint of gambling stain me. I intend to keep it that way.

[d.o.g.]

Work permit holders like Mr Ramesh are a common sight at the casinos in RWS and Marina Bay Sands. Many started heading to the casinos either out of curiosity or because their friends told them they could make a quick buck through gambling. Others say they were there to enjoy the cool air-conditioning and free drinks offered.

This is yet another unintended consequence of the casinos.

The original (unspoken) goal of the IRs was to bring in tourists, take all their money, and then let them go home. High profits (since the running costs are comparatively low) and no consequences (since they go home after losing).

With citizens the problem is that the government has to take care of those who lose everything. Not good for the budget - or for the idea of meritocracy. Hence the $100 levy, though the $2,000 annual package gives too big a discount - they should just take it away if they really want to discourage gambling.

With foreign workers the problem is that they are brought in at some expense (cost of money and time to train) and are supposed to be WORKING. True, when they are broke they can stay on and work some more, but it's hardly good for morale or productivity.

It's not going to do wonders for Singapore's image abroad if people hear that it's not good to work in Singapore because you'll end up losing all your savings in the casinos. Singapore already has a tarnished reputation among overseas students because of the numerous private school failures. It doesn't need another black eye from overseas workers too.

[hyom]

With citizens the problem is that the government has to take care of those who lose everything. Not good for the budget - or for the idea of meritocracy. Hence the $100 levy, though the $2,000 annual package gives too big a discount - they should just take it away if they really want to discourage gambling.

They should either take the levy away or impose a really costly, prohibitive levy. A levy which is not prohibitive enough will create more gambling problems. Citizens who pay the $100 levy will stay longer inside the casino to fully utilize the value of the levy. The longer you stay, the more you play, the likelier you are to lose. The mathematical law of averages guarantee that. This is a minor problem as compared to the citizens who pay the $2000 annual package. These people are at high risk of becoming problem gamblers because they will become regular visitors to the casino to put the $2000 into good use. Hence, either no levy or a $10k levy per visit ($1m annual package).

Thus far I have not let the evil taint of gambling stain me. I intend to keep it that way.

Wise move. I will do likewise because I love my money very much. Seasoned investors will know that when the odds are against you, you don't bet. In other words, one should never visit the casino because the odds are always against you.

[valueinvestor]

If they are desperate , they will rob or kill, more crimes are being imported.

[PassiveReturns]

Sad to see this is happening, and it is worrisome too.