The National Council on Problem Gambling was set up in Singapore on 31 August 2005 to address problem gambling, following the government's decision to legalise casino gambling and build two integrated resorts at Marina Bay and Sentosa.
The council is chaired by Lim Hock San and has 19 members.
One of the main tasks of NCPG is to promote public awareness on problem gambling. In January 2006, a TV series Bet Your Life was launched to examine problem gambling and its effects on families and society. [1] A fund of S$150,000 was also set aside for public education programmes initiated by voluntary welfare organisations.
To counsel and help compulsive gamblers, two hotlines are set up by Institute of Mental Health and Thye Hua Kwan Moral Society.