NCPG

The National Council on Problem Gambling (NCPG) was appointed by the government of Singapore in August 2005 as part of the country’s national framework to address the issue of problem gambling. Its primary function is to raise public awareness of problem online gambling. It also has the authority to bar people from casinos under Singapore’s Casino Control Act.

Under the Casino Control Act, the NCPG may have up to 20 members including the chairman, all appointed by the Minister for Community Development, Youth and Sports. The council members have so far included representatives from the corporate, legal, clinical treatment, counselling, research and religious fields.

The functions of the council are to:

• Provide advice and feedback to the Ministry of Community Development, Youth and Sports (MCYS) on public education programs on problem gambling;
• Decide on funding applications for preventive and rehabilitative programs;
• Assess and advise the government on the effectiveness of treatment, counselling and rehabilitative programs;
• Decide on applications for exclusion of persons from the casinos.

The council has the authority to make, vary and revoke casino exclusion orders and it is required to maintain a list of people who are barred from the casinos through these exclusion orders. There are three types of exclusions: voluntary self-exclusion, third-party exclusion and family exclusion.

The council automatically approves applications for self-exclusion, and the ban may be lifted after a minimum period of one year once the individual informs the council of his intention to revoke the order. Un-discharged bankrupts and those who are on social assistance programs funded by the government are also automatically excluded. However, the exclusion order can be revoked only after the individual has been discharged from bankruptcy or is no longer receiving Public Assistance or Special Grant.

Under the family exclusion scheme, family members may apply to stop their immediate relatives (spouses, children, parents and siblings) from entering the casino if their problem gambling has caused serious harm. A person is regarded as having caused serious harm if he has gambled irresponsibly for not less than three months without care of the needs and welfare of his family. Family exclusion orders may be revoked only after one year. The NCPG started to accept family exclusion applications on 1 April 2009. As of end-August 2009, it had issued seven exclusion orders - two were applications made by wives against their husbands, two by sisters against their brothers, and three by parents against their sons.

Support Opportunities:

• Participant - In-kind contributions. Receives National Problem Gambling Awareness Week materials CD, recognition on website, acknowledgement in National Council on Problem Gambling (NCPG) newsletter and one year subscription In-kind contributions;
•  Partner -$500.00. Receives discount registration at annual conference, recognition on website, acknowledgement in NCPG newsletter and one year subscription;
• Corporate Sponsor -$5,000.00. Receives recognition plaque, one free registration at annual conference, recognition at annual conference luncheon, name and company logo on display at annual conference, company link and or logo on website, acknowledgement in NCPG newsletter and one year subscription.