Casino debate
My view points
The Singapore casino debate currently underway lies against a backdrop of increasing economic urgency, combined with concern over casino gambling's potentially negative social effects. Pragmatists view casino gambling as an unstoppable worldwide phenomenon that has the potential to bolster the small nation's slowing economy. Conversely, moralists in this notoriously conservative country fear the social consequences legal casino gambling is likely to bring. Before building the casino,
The new and refurbished casinos of the IR have just recently opened its doors to the public. The hotels, packed in with the IR facility, are also proving to be a hit among the visitors of the casinos. The hotels are almost fully booked everyday, some by “money hungry” Singaporean. They just can’t bear to live so far away from the casino, so why not just live beside it.
The government sees the IR as an opportunity to boost the country’s economy. However, in order to curb the overuse of the casino by the locals, the government has imposed some laws and levies. For example, all Singaporeans have to pay a levy of $100 before they can enter the casino. The government hopes that this would deter the locals from the casinos, but I see no effect. The locals are just too happy that there are casinos in their own homeland. I believe the levy should be increase to about $300 or more. That would make the locals wonder whether to enter or not.