SINGAPORE — Playing slot machines often seems like harmless fun and an attractive way to pass time for housewives and retirees, but they will soon find themselves losing control and become addicted like gamblers.

Counsellor Deborah Queck warns of this danger, saying that whether players win or lose, they will continue to be hooked.

“Some people really get addicted when they win money (from the machines),” she said. “And once they start losing, they will (also) gamble more because they want to recover their losses.”

Commenting on the measures announced yesterday to curb jackpot operations in clubs, Ms Queck — who works with the Gamblers Recovery Centre of non-profit organisation Eternal Grace Community Services — said that it is good of the Government to allow only those aged above 21 to play these machines, since it would help restrict younger people from becoming addicted to playing them.

Among the new measures taken by the Ministry of Home Affairs are restricting access to rooms with jackpot machines by raising the minimum age from 18 to 21, and limiting entry to those who have been club members for at least a year.

However, there are those who are shrugging this off, saying that people who seek such thrills will always find other ways to entertain themselves. Full-time national serviceman Jason Tan, 19, who visits the Singapore Recreation Club (SRC) almost every Saturday with his friends to play, said: “It’s not just The Oasis (the jackpot room at SRC) … there are still rooms where we can play mahjong and card games.”

He started visiting the club only a few months ago, and reckoned that it may help him “save some money” if he is denied entry.

Seniors who spoke to TODAY said that the Government’s move would cut a source of entertainment for them.

Retiree Lim Swee Kee, 77, who visits the jackpot room at NTUC Club in Ang Mo Kio Hub twice a week, said: “I have no children and I’m not working, so I need to occupy myself ... What is the point of earning so much when we were younger if we are not allowed to spend it on what we like when we are old?”

On the other hand, a 56-year-old who gave her name as only Madam Peh said that the other measure to remove any form of electronic funds transfer facility in a jackpot room could help gamblers.

“When you are inside, it’s like you are in another world,” the housewife said.

“You just keep buying credits with your ATM card inside the room because it’s so convenient, and you forget what you originally told yourself (about staying for a while).

“But once you leave, you realise how much money you’ve lost.”

Members of Parliament (MPs) who sit on the Government Parliamentary Committee for Social and Family Development said that they have not seen an issue with young people gambling on jackpot machines.

Mr Seah Kian Peng, who chairs the committee, said that the new measures are “steps in the right direction”.

He added: “(As for) whether (more should) be done, I’m quite sure (the Government) will continue to look at this … and over time … (if) more measures need to be put in place, I am sure that will be done.”

Agreeing, Ms Denise Phua, MP for Jalan Besar GRC, pointed out that the “safeguards should be monitored and reviewed against desired outcomes”, especially in the first six months of implementation.

“For instance, raising the age limit is one of the safeguards for the young, but the vulnerable includes those who are not so young too,” she said, adding that clubs could look into having an entry fee into the jackpot rooms and setting a daily time limit spent there for users.

Mr Ang Hin Kee, MP for Ang Mo Kio GRC, said that he does not really see young people in his constituency hooked on jackpot machines.

“To them, this is not really part of their (lifestyle) ... But I guess if you raise the age limit, it is basically raising the level of social safeguards,” he said. “You don’t want younger people to start cultivating the interest in (playing these machines).”

NEW RULES ON OPERATIONS

- Jackpot machine quotas will be tightened in phases over two years

- From November, the minimum age for entry into jackpot rooms will be raised from 18 to 21, and only individuals who hold a membership term of at least one year will be allowed in. Members will no longer be allowed to bring guests to the rooms

- Operating hours of jackpot rooms, which are currently unrestricted, will be limited to between 10am and 11pm

- ATM, credit card facilities and other forms of electronic funds transfer will not be allowed in jackpot rooms

- Advertising and promotions relating to jackpot machines will be prohibited

-Clubs operating slots must enforce the exclusion scheme under the National Council on Problem Gambling