July, 2010:

largest Grouper from Indonesia landed Singapore

Jul 17, 2010, ST

THERE was some seriously fishy business going on at 2nd Kitchen at Balestier Road on Friday.

A 220kg Queensland Grouper from Indonesia was reeled in by the restaurant owner/chef and Queensland Grouper expert, Johnny Tan.

The fish – which is known for its springy but firm texture – is an extremely rare find. According to Chef Tan, it may take 3-5 years before one even lands such a catch.

The largest reef-dwelling fish in the world, food lovers would be glad to know that everything from the grouper’s scales to bone marrow can be eaten and cooked in a variety of ways.

Approximately 40 to 50 of Chef Tan’s regular customers have already placed reservations for a piece of this rare fish at his restaurants 2nd Kitchen in Balestier and Great Atlantis in Punggol.

Check out what this 220kg underwater giant looks like on RazorTV.

Absconded foreigners charged for cheating casino

Jul 24th, 2010

by Casino Guru.

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23 July 2010

THREE foreigners charged in court in April 2010 with cheating the Resorts World Casino who managed to abscond while their cases were pending have shed light on the need to tighten pre-trial procedures and border controls.

Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Home Affairs Mr Wong Kan Seng addressed this issue highlighted in the second session of the Eleventh Parliament of Singapore.

As investigations had concluded, Mr Wong believed that the continued remand of the three accused persons was not necessary. In particular, they were released as they were able to meet the requirements for bail and their passports were impounded by the authorities.

Mr Wong added that improvements were made to the bail process as recently as 2007 with the establishment of a dedicated Bail Court. Furthermore, there are established procedures for Home Team agencies like the Immigration and Checkpoints Authority and the police to detect wanted persons at the checkpoints.

Police are still investigating how the three accused persons absconded even though their passports were impounded. – AsiaOne

On-site counselling service at RWS casino ceases

Jul 24th, 2010

by Casino Guru.

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22 July 2010

SINGAPORE : The on-site counselling service at the casino of Resorts World Sentosa (RWS) has ceased.

This is due to a disagreement between the integrated resort and the charity organisation that is providing the service.

The service by the Thye Hua Kwan Moral Society was meant to be a social safeguard against problem gambling.

Patrons who might need information and referral for gambling problems could find help on hand.

Channel NewsAsia understands that RWS and the charity organisation are sorting out certain terms and conditions.

No details are available.

Responding to media queries, RWS said it is in talks with the National Council on Problem Gambling and is reviewing the effectiveness of an on-site counselling service.

Lee Kim Siang, chairman, Thye Hua Kwan Moral Society, said: “We did provide (counselling services) for a little period at one of the casinos. But now we are now talking (about the) terms of the contract. So for the moment, we have agreed to stop, pending the terms to be agreed, because we have to look at the responsibilities and duties of each party.

“There was no agreement when it first started, so we just said we would provide a professional counselling service and we get paid ‘x’ dollars. And basically we would look after people who need counselling at the casino. And that was the basis we worked on. But then ultimately, it was thought that both parties would sign the agreement.” – CNA/ms

Queenie Liu, the queen of the gambling tables

Jul 21st, 2010

by Casino Guru.

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Casino operators just love Queenie Liu, the queen of the tables.

The 30-year-old Shanghainese is no stranger to high stakes and spends $15,000 on average when she rolls the dice – at the expense of her high net worth husband who doesn’t share her passion for gambling.

“It’s the excitement that I crave for. It’s exhilarating. For me, it’s not the money,” she told China Daily in a telephone interview from her holiday home in Vancouver.

Queenie is one of the VIP gamblers at the casinos in Macao, Malaysia and Las Vegas. She now plans to visit the two new casinos in Singapore – Marina Bay Sands (MBS) and Resorts World (RWS). “Fortunately or unfortunately, most of the big gamblers are of ethnic Chinese origin,” she said.

Casino operators from Singapore, Malaysia and Cambodia are getting ready to make hay from the surge in outbound tourists from China.

So much so, that most of the operators are now wooing tourists through indirect sales and promotional activities routed through operators of group tours or junkets.

The companies have to use the indirect method to increase footfalls as marketing of casinos and gambling are illegal in China, said Ben Lee, Chief Operating Officer – Gaming at Intercity Group. Intercity Group is planning to set up a $400 million integrated resort and gaming property in Siem Reap, Cambodia. “The biggest players in the region tend to be from China,” he said.

“Junkets get higher commissions in Singapore as gaming taxes are much lower at 12 to 22 percent versus Macao at 39 percent,” said Aaron Fischer, Head of Consumer and Gaming Research at CLSA Asia Pacific Markets. Junkets are also a big incentive in luring gamblers to Singapore.

“With its growing middle class population, China is an attractive market for us. We consciously cater to the needs of Chinese guests, from the way they like to be greeted to the way they like their food served,” a spokesperson from Marina Bay Sands told China Daily.

Genting, Asia’s largest listed casino operator and owner of Resorts World Singapore (RWS) and Genting Casino, said it is on track to achieving its target of 13 million visitors in its first year of full operations by February 14, 2011. It has given out $100,000 in jackpot prize money alone.

Businesses are betting that the economic growth in China and the region would boost demand for shopping, entertainment, gambling and tourism.

Singapore expects the MBS and RWS casinos to generate spin-off businesses such as demand for luxury services and more deals for bankers in what is fast becoming Asia’s premier wealth management center.

Casinos in Singapore and Malaysia are successful without taking the market share from Macao, said Fischer. “Casinos in Southeast Asia offer variety. Also, visa restrictions do not apply to individual mainland Chinese travelers visiting Malaysia and Singapore when compared to Macao,” he said.

Chinese are allowed to travel to Macao once in two months. In addition, Chinese government officials are not allowed to gamble in Macao but they can visit Singapore, Malaysia or Cambodia.

While Macao is seen as a pure gaming destination, casinos in Southeast Asia have the additional attraction of combining business with gambling.

Source:China Daily

RWS to provide new shuttle bus services between heartlands & IR

Jul 21st, 2010

by Casino Guru.

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20 Jul 2010

SINGAPORE: Resorts World Sentosa (RWS)is providing five free shuttle bus services to and from the heartlands and the integrated resort.

The RWS buses will serve Bishan, Tiong Bahru, Ang Mo Kio, Jurong East and Tampines.

The bus will arrive every hour, between 10am and 10pm.

The service will be extended to midnight on Fridays and Saturdays.

Each trip takes about 40 minutes.

But counsellors have expressed concern – that easier access to the integrated resort could put more heartlanders at risk of gambling addiction .

They stressed that the choice lies with the individual.

Lee Kim Siang, chairman of Thye Hua Moral Society said: “We are the decision makers for ourselves. Our lives should be controlled by ourselves and not by the casino, by the bus they send to us. They send it with a purpose – yes, to attract us there. But you must make up your mind.

“It’s a resort, and not just a casino den… (You can) enjoy without gambling. So why not?” -CNA /ls/vm

Durian fruit for A Casino King

Jul 20th, 2010

by Casino Guru.

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July 20, 2010, Forbes

Macau’s gambling king Stanley Ho recently sent his private jet to Singapore to buy some durian fruit, according to the Malaysian newspaper China Press. Often referred to as the king of fruit, durians tend to elicit strong reactions due to their peculiar aroma.

Durians aren’t allowed on commercial flights because of their strong smell, so Mr Ho sent his shopping representatives via private jet with an order to buy the football-sized fruits. They brought back 88 at a cost of about 2,065 Singapore dollars ($1,505).

The China Press reported that Mr. Ho gave 10 of the fruit to his friend and fellow billionaire Li Ka-shing. Shares of Stanley Ho’s SJM Holdings appeared to take the news in stride, rising just over 0.8% for the day on the Hong Kong Exchange.

Number of problem gambling cases seen by NCPG appointed centres rise

Jul 19th, 2010

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19 July 2010

SINGAPORE : The number of cases seen by the National Council for Problem Gambling’s (NCPG) two appointed centres to treat problem gambling has been going up.

The National Addictions Management Service (NAMS), which offers clinical and counselling services, has seen 243 cases in the first half of 2010 – compared to the 290 cases for the whole of last year, and 176 cases for 2008.

Of the 243 cases, 130 were new clients.

NAMS treats cases with more severe addiction problems.

The Tanjong Pagar Family Service Centre, which treats less serious cases, saw 113 cases in the first half of 2010, compared to the 134 cases for the whole of last year.

Of the 113 cases at Tanjong Pagar Family Service Centre, 44 were new cases.

The Community Development, Youth and Sports Ministry (MCYS) released these figures in Parliament on Monday.

Community Development Minister, Dr Vivian Balakrishnan released these figures after Marine Parade GRC MP, Assoc Prof Fatimah Lateef, asked how many cases have been referred to the NCPG in the past two years.

The number of individuals requesting to exclude themselves from entering gambling facilities at integrated resorts were also released.

148 applications for family exclusion orders have been made since they were available in April 2009, and 123 orders were issued.

Of these, 113 applications were received after the first casino opened on 14 Feb 2010, and 92 orders issued since then.

There were also 1,546 self-exclusion applications as at June 2010.

88 per cent or 1,360 applications were received after the first casino opened.

The ministry said the increase in numbers is not unexpected, as there has been greater awareness of the exclusion orders following NCPG’s public education efforts.

Dr Balakrishnan said the ministry and NCPG will continue to monitor the situation and take steps to address any social problems, should they arise. – CNA /ls

Thousands arrested in Asia football gambling raids

Jul 18th, 2010

by Casino Guru.

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17 July 2010

PARIS (Reuters) – More than 5,000 people have been arrested in a swoop on illegal gambling on World Cup football across Asia and police have seized nearly $10 million (6.5 million pounds), Interpol said on Friday.

The global police cooperation agency said raids on nearly 800 illegal gambling dens between June 11 and July 11 targeted illicit betting linked to organised crime in Malaysia, Singapore, Thailand and China.

“As well as having clear connections to organised crime gangs, illegal soccer gambling is also linked with corruption, money laundering and prostitution,” said Jean-Michel Louboutin, executive director of police services.

The coordinated police operation, codenamed SOGA III, was not about match-fixing, a spokeswoman for Interpol said.

Illegal gambling dens, including some in Hong Kong and casino haven Macau — both former colonial enclaves which are now parts of China — had taken more than $155 million in bets.

Police also seized cars, bank cards, computers and mobile phones during the raids, which were coordinated by Interpol’s headquarters in Lyon and its Bangkok liaison office.

“The results we have seen are impressive, not only in the number of arrests and seizures made across the region in just one month, but in terms of the police cooperation which made this possible,” Louboutin said.

The three SOGA operations carried out so far have led to nearly 7,000 arrests, the seizure of over $26 million in cash and the closure of illegal gambling dens that handled more than $2 billion worth of bets.

In Hong Kong, police said they arrested 235 men and women aged between 16 and 79 after searching 139 locations in the latest operation. They seized betting slips valued at HK$361 million and 77 computers.

One swoop saw police smash a vast cross-border bookmaking syndicate that had taken in around $1 billion in illegal bets.

During that operation, mounted in cooperation with police in the southern Chinese province of Guangdong, 83 people were arrested in Hong Kong and 29 in China, police said.

Chinese state media said earlier this month police had smashed an online betting network, with the alleged ringleader accused of dealings worth 100 billion yuan (9.6 million pounds) .

It was not immediately clear if that operation was linked to the one announced by Interpol on Friday.

HUGE GAMBLING MARKET

Gambling is highly restricted in most of China, ensuring brisk trade for Macau in the country’s south, which has overtaken Las Vegas as the world’s largest gambling market.

Malaysia has backtracked on the approval of a sports betting licence following public anger in the mostly Muslim nation.

In Britain’s liberalised market, punters can bet on sports matches as well as play casino games such as roulette and blackjack online.

France legalised certain kinds of online gambling in June, not including casino games however, just in time for wagers on the World Cup.

Websites in the country took 80 million euros (67.5 million pounds) in bets in the first month they were open.

Companies such as PartyGaming and Austria’s bwin are awaiting the result of attempts by congressmen in the United States to overturn the ban on online gaming there.

(Reporting by Victoria Bryan; editing by Philippa Fletcher)

Singapore casinos yet to detect money laundering: authorities

Jul 18th, 2010

by Casino Guru.

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16 July 2010

Singapore authorities on Friday said that its two casinos have so far been safe from money laundering.

Director of the Commercial Affairs Department of the Singapore Police Force, Ong Hian Sun said money laundering activities have yet to be detected in the casinos, local TV broadcaster Channel NewsAsia reported.

He pointed out that Singapore has put in place measures that are necessary to prevent money being illegally siphoned in and out of the country.

“What we have in place is .. that every transaction above 10, 000 Singapore dollars (7,194 U.S dollars) in the casino they have to be reported and we are collecting all this information.”

Singapore established the Casino Regulatory Authority two years before the casinos were opened here. The casino at Resorts World Sentosa opened in February this year and the Marina Bay Sands casino started operations three months ago.

Source: Xinhua

Framework for gaming industry will be tweaked over time: CRA

Jul 18th, 2010

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16 July 2010

SINGAPORE : The Casino Regulatory Authority (CRA) says it will not “micro-manage” when it comes to regulating the gaming industry.

Speaking at the agency’s workplan seminar, its chief executive said the regulatory framework will be tweaked from time to time.

Singapore’s gaming industry is new and with its two casinos opening just this year, regulators say it’s still early days.

They say over time, changes to the framework will be made to accommodate developments such as new gaming technology.

Raja Kumar, chief executive, Casino Regulatory Authority, said: “The challenge for us is to find out what the new technology is about, understand the implications that much better so that we can come up with appropriate regulations to manage and see this through to operationalisation.”

The role of regulators is clear – that is, to ensure that the running of the casinos is kept legal and to minimise the negative impact of gambling on society.

Mr Raja Kumar said: “The approach that we’re making at CRA is a practical one. We will judge the operators by the outcomes that they deliver against the regulatory requirements, and then we will assess if they have complied with the regulatory requirements.

“We do not micro-manage their operations, but they will have to deliver the regulatory outcomes.”

On recent reports that a minor had sneaked into the Marina Bay Sands casino, the agency said it is the responsibility of the operator to keep minors out.

Failure to do so may lead to disciplinary action. The agency said it will assess if the operator has been lax in its duty.

- CNA/al