About | HeinOnline Law Journal Library | HeinOnline Law Journal Library | HeinOnline
LOG IN
LOG IN

29 Sing. L. Rev. 1 (2011)

handle is hein.journals/singlrev29 and id is 1 raw text is: Singapore Law Review (2011) 29 SingL Re, SINGAPORE'S CASINOS -NOT A GAME OF CHANCE' TAN TECK WANG AND ANNE GOH2 I. INTRODUCTION This paper explores the Singapore Government's vision for the Integrated Resorts and how the setting up of the casino regulatory frainework by the Casino Regulatory Authority of Singapore has been a deliberate calibration of laws from various referenced jurisdictions and is not a game of chance. The focus of this paper is on land-based casino gaming' and not other forms of gaming such as charitable gaining, pari-mutuel gaining, sports gaining, shipboard gaining, Indian gaming and internet gaming. Each of these games is governed by differentiated principles. In many developed nations, the authority to regulate legalised land-based casino-style gambling activits has invariably been vested in the State. Core features of such promulgated legislation serve to foster a public policy climate in which the State sets an independent framework for the regulation of legalised gambling, along with the form or extent it may elect to authorise, and the scope and intensity of such regulation. Where legalised by the State, casino-style gambling demands strong legislative and regulatory oversight and vigilance. The failure of any State to maintain rigorous regulation not only undermines national public confidence in the gaming industry. but also in the ability of the government to maintain public trust. This is also the case in Singapore. Singapore's gambling history began with gambling farms in the 19th century. This next historical segment will necessarily be a brief view in order to allow more time for the more material portions of the discourse. II. HISTORYAND EVOLUTION OF GAMING IN SINGAPORE A. Gaming during the 19h centur}y - Gambling Farms In the early years of Singapore's history, it was reported that the Chinese were so devoted to the goddess of chance that gaming was permitted by the Government for fifteen days during Chinese New Year under the mistaken impression that it was part of the Chinese religion.4 Since the time 1 This paper is a revised version of the 23rd Singapore Law Review Lecture delivered by Mr. Richard Magnus, PJG, PPA(E) (L), Chairnman of the Casino Regulatory Authority of Singapore, on 29 July 2011. 2 The authors are the General Counsel and the Assistant General Counsel of the Casino Regulatory Authority of Singapore respectively. The authors would like to thank (a) Mr. Richard Magnus for his guidance in the drafting of this paper and his comments on drafts of this paper and (b) Ms. Jeanne Lee, Senior State Counsel of the Attorney-General's Chambers, for her comments on drafts of this paper. All errors and omissions are of those of the authors. 3 The words gaming and gambling shall be used interchangeably throughout this paper, given that common usage gives these two words the same meaning. 4 Victor, P., The old gambling farms: A Chinese problem in Malaya yesterday and today The Straits

What Is HeinOnline?

HeinOnline is a subscription-based resource containing thousands of academic and legal journals from inception; complete coverage of government documents such as U.S. Statutes at Large, U.S. Code, Federal Register, Code of Federal Regulations, U.S. Reports, and much more. Documents are image-based, fully searchable PDFs with the authority of print combined with the accessibility of a user-friendly and powerful database. For more information, request a quote or trial for your organization below.



Short-term subscription options include 24 hours, 48 hours, or 1 week to HeinOnline.

Purchase Access

Contact us for annual subscription options:

Contact Us

Already a HeinOnline Subscriber?

Log In

profiles profiles most