Chitchat Jialat! Even the church must kowtow to garmen!

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An honorable member of the Coffee Shop Has Just Posted the Following:

SINGAPORE: The decision to allow authorised operators to offer online gambling is a “judgement call” by the Government, the National Council of Churches of Singapore (NCCS) has said in a new letter to its members.

The letter, sent on Wednesday (Oct 19), said NCCS representatives had a “candid and important face-to-face discussion” with the Government after the council issued a statement calling for a review of the exemptions on online betting services given to Singapore Pools and Singapore Turf Club.

“Given the data on the current remote gambling landscape, the government deems this to be the best approach to mitigate driving remote gambling activities underground and exacerbating law and order concerns,” NCCS said in the letter on Wednesday.

“The Government acknowledges the council’s deep concern about the negative social consequences of legalising two remote gambling platforms, and will regularly monitor the overall impact,” it added.

In its earlier statement, NCCS had said it was concerned the Government was sending “confusing and conflicting signals” with the partial lifting of the ban.

But the Government explained during the meeting that this was not the case, NCCS said. This is because when the Remote Gambling Act was passed in 2014, it already had a provision to exempt operators, as the Government did not think a complete ban would work.

The Act, including the provision, was also discussed with social service leaders and religious representatives before it was tabled and passed by Parliament.

NCCS TO ROLL OUT MEASURES AGAINST PROBLEM GAMBLING

During the meeting with NCCS, the Government maintained that allowing exempt operators under stringent controls is the best approach to limit and contain adverse social consequences.

“This conclusion is based on the studies on the social impact of gambling that the Government has documented, and its assessment of possible scenarios with and without the ‘valve’ of controlled exempt operator,” NCCS said.

However, the council also expressed reservations about this, saying that research on this area is still new, and the family and social fabric of Singapore is “currently not strong enough” to provide safeguards against problem gambling.

The Government is willing to “proactively strengthen” the family and social environment to prevent and mitigate this, NCCS said, adding that the authorities have proposed to meet NCCS leaders in three to six months’ time to discuss this.

The council also intends to introduce its own measures to address problem gambling. This includes forming a task force to explore ways to mitigate the harmful effects of gambling, especially the temptation of online gambling; publishing a tract on gambling that can be “placed in the hands of every church member”; and monitor the online gambling situation closely with the help of member churches and provide feedback to the Government.

“The NCCS appreciates and upholds the space given to the council and other responsible bodies to voice their views and concerns without being on a collision course with the governing authorities,” it added.

The council will endeavour to "play its part as a responsible intermediate organisation to seek the welfare of our city-state and to work together with the Government and other religious and grassroots organisations to promote the common good".

- CNA


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