Oral Reply to Parliamentary Question on Casino-related Crimes, by Mrs Josephine Teo, Minister for Manpower and Second Minister for Home Affairs

Question:

Mr Murali Pillai: To ask the Minister for Home Affairs what is the Ministry's assessment of the casino-related crime situation in Singapore since the casinos commenced operations in 2010; and (b) what steps are taken to ensure that casino-related crime in Singapore will be kept in check.

Answer:

1. Mr Speaker, the casino-related crime situation in Singapore is under control and has continued to improve since the casinos commenced operations in 2010. Between 2010 and 2018, the annual number of casino crimes fell by 58 percent, from 299 to 126 cases.

2. Police and the Casino Regulatory Authority (CRA) actively manage the law-and-order concerns related to the casinos. To prevent infiltration of criminal elements into the casinos, CRA licenses casino employees and subjects them to stringent checks. Police exchange information with their counterparts in other countries on the latest casino-related crime trends and persons of interest.

3. MHA has put in place tough penalties for casino-related crimes, and Police adopt a zero tolerance approach towards such crimes. Police and CRA also work closely with the casino operators to deter crime through regular surveillance and patrols.