HOME
B4
THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 26, 2013
Casino patrols
look out for
foul play
By JANICE TAI
OBVIOUS in their crisp suits, enforcement officers Faith Lim and
Steven Tan stride into the casino’s mass gaming hall.
Immediately, eyes swivel in
their direction. In a crowd of punters dressed casually in polo tees
and jeans, the two officers stand
out from the rest.
Their conspicuous presence is
deliberate. As part of the Casino
Regulatory Authority’s newly
formed enforcement branch, they
aim to keep casino operators on
their toes by showing them that
someone is watching.
Since April, the 12-strong
branch has been carrying out daily
patrols at the two casinos here.
They make sure dealers stick to
game rules, machines are not tampered with and that casino staff
do not allow excluded people in.
They also speak with patrons
and casino staff to get a handle on
trends in the gaming industry and
ensure that proper procedures are
followed.
The Straits Times spent an afternoon with them last Wednesday to observe them in action. Ms
She approached the attendant
nearby and queried him on how
he goes about verifying who the
winnings belonged to. The attendant showed her on a computer
how he is able to trace the rightful
winner using a database of log-in
timings and membership numbers.
“It’s just a few cents and the patron probably couldn’t be bothered to claim it but it was a
chance to check if the staff was familiar with the verification protocol,” said Ms Lim.
Later on, she and her partner
Tan, 37, instructed an attendant
to open up some of the machines
so that they could check whether
the seals inside were intact. If the
seals have been tampered with,
the integrity of the games is compromised.
As dinner time approached,
they ended their patrol. It had
been a long day for the officers.
Earlier, they had attended a training session where they learnt how
con men carry out a fake shuffle, a
sleight of hand where the cards
look like they have been moved
around but their original arrangement is actually preserved.
Team makes presence felt, ensures rules are followed
Lim and Mr Tan headed for the
baccarat tables after noticing a
crowd gathering there.
Standing unobtrusively behind
the crowd, they observed the dealer closely, watching for tell-tale
signs of any collusion with a particular patron, such as lifting the
cards too high and exposing their
numbers.
While observing several rounds
of the game, Ms Lim took notes
on her iPad, typing in details such
as the type of people attracted to
certain games for future analysis.
The pair then proceeded to the
slot machines.
They noticed that one of them
was idle but still had a user’s membership card slotted in.
Ms Lim, 25, approached the attendant and was told that the user
had gone on a toilet break after
asking the attendant to guard the
machine and his card for him.
She said enforcement officers
take note of such incidents because they could lead to security
risks such as someone using another person’s account to gamble.
A few rows down, Ms Lim
stopped again.
The vigilant officer had noticed
a winning ticket dangling from a
machine. It indicated winnings of
25 cents.
University deputy presidents
win S’pore’s top science prize
By RACHEL AU-YONG
“No day at the casino is the
same and it is the dynamic nature
of the work that I do that keeps
me going,” said Ms Lim.
[email protected]
Mr Vincent Lee (left) and Mr Alfred Tay (right) lead the
Casino Regulatory Authority’s new enforcement branch.
The 12-strong squad has been carrying out daily patrols at
Singapore’s two casinos.
ST PHOTO: CHEW SENG KIM
The latest casino
games at his fingertips
Sarrer
Cotton Pleated
Dress
$83.90
Sarrer
Cotton Tulip
Dress
$78.90
Sarrer
Chiffon
Cardigan
$65.90
Guess
Bi-Colour Half
Flap Tote
$159.90
Fimi Knitted Dress With “V”
Detailed Neckline $65.90
All offers valid while stocks last. OG reserves the right to correct pricing / description errors.
Timex
Silver Tone Case with
White Dial and
Leather Strap
UP $109 NOW 50% off
only at OGOP
Itzin Floral Chiffon
Layered Dress
$82.90
Fimi Knitted Top with
Tie Bow Detail
$49.90
URI
Necklace
$23
MORE companies here are hiring instructors to conduct laughter yoga workshops.
Laughter yoga involves laughing for a prolonged
period using yoga
breathing techniques.
Mind Your Body
today looks at its
health benefits and
features some exercises to try at
home.
We also give
tips for patients
who have heart disease on how to
work out safely.
Such people are
encouraged to exercise despite their
condition, because
doing so has been
shown to prolong
their lives.
And we serve up a recipe that makes a dish of
french beans and tomatoes more heart-healthy by
adding walnuts and olive oil.
ORCHARD POINT
Lower Level 1
26 Sep - 9 Oct 2013
Please present your ID card (NRIC/FIN/Passport) with
your application; photocopy / pix on phone accepted.
To
our valued customers for your support, we’re
giving you these Exceptional Coupon Savings! While stocks last.
Up to 70% off
selected items
Follow us on Twitter @OG_sg
facebook.com/OGSingapore
From 26 Sep 2013
CROCODILE
HONEY FARM
PIERRE CARDIN
LOCK & LOCK
SHEARS
89
$
99
$
28” UP $299
uggage Dept
with this coupon @ Luggage
1590
$
a set with this coupon @ Household Dept
2-in-1 Travel Bassinet and Playpen
9
UP $199
8990
$
✂
a set with this coupon @ Wellness Dept
24” UP $259
Lunch Bag Set
UP $29
$29.90
.90
✂
✂
with this coupon @ Menwear Dept
55
2 for $
Polypropylene Spinner Case with
Hinomoto Japan Wheels
& TSA Combination Lock
Model : 608104
✂
25
$
Raw Honey with Natural Enzymes
UP 2 for
or $106
✂
100% Cotton Long-Sleeved Shirt
UP $69.90
50 sets per OG store only, while stocks last
From 26 Sep 2013
50 pcs per OG store only, while stocks last
From 26 Sep 2013
30 sets per OG store only, while stocks last
From 26 Sep 2013
100 pcs per OG store only, while stocks last
From 26 Sep 2013
a set with this coupon @ Children Dept
✂
COUPON
SAVINGS
Thank You
Luggage Fair
Enro Cotton Printed
Sleveless Blouse
$49.90
30 pcs per OG store only, while stocks last
Sarrer
Strappy Sandals
with Ankle Buckle
UP $49.90
NOW 20% off
✂
Please present your ID card (NRIC/FIN/Passport) with
your application; photocopy / pix on phone accepted.
WHEN riding the train or taking a cab,
Mr Alfred Tay can be spotted either shuffling
a deck of cards or playing the latest casino
games on his iPhone.
He loses sleep over deciphering how game
cheats outsmart casinos and keeping up with
trends in the gaming industry.
However, Mr Tay is not a problem
gambler. It is all in a day’s work for the
31-year-old, who co-leads the newly formed
enforcement branch from the Casino
Regulatory Authority.
“It’s a vast playground out there. There
are so many new games and casino protocols
to learn, and I like the challenge of staying
on top of things,” he said.
Besides overseeing the inspection rounds
at the casinos, he investigates cases referred
to him by the casinos.
He credits his former work as a senior
investigation officer with the Criminal
Investigation Department for putting him in
good stead when he deals with people from
all walks of life.
A few months ago, for example, a casino
directed him to a patron who refused to
forfeit her winnings and leave even though
she was under an exclusion order.
After speaking to her, Mr Tay managed to
gain her trust and she not only revealed how
much she had won but also left voluntarily.
Whenever chips or cash need to be seized,
Mr Tay’s knowledge of evidence handling
also means he knows how to do it without
destroying the telltale clues.
He visits casinos overseas and consults
their experts to learn how new games are
played and how cheats circumvent security.
Every two weeks, he shares these tips
with his team during training sessions.
“It’s a dream come true for me,” he said
with a boyish grin. “How many of us get to
live and breathe games for a living?”
JANICE TAI
Laugh your way
through yoga
TRAVEL B
T-BUY
AG
S
U
S
M
OG
Evotica 5307
Japanese Acetate Polarised Lens with UV 400
UP $145 - $195 NOW $99
Only at OGA
TEXT US
SMS
Saw something
interesting?
Or want to air an
issue that has been
affecting your neighbourhood?
SMS The Straits Times on
OG ALBERT 6210 2222
11am - 9.30pm
OG ORCHARD POINT 6317 2222
10.30am - 9.30pm
O G P E O P L E ’ S PA R K 6 5 3 5 8 8 8 8
11am - 9.30pm
HOME
THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 26, 2013
8282-3343!
PROFESSORS Barry Halliwell
and Freddy Boey are two of a
kind. The pair of university deputy presidents each won the President’s Science and Technology
Medal – Singapore’s top science
accolade – yesterday.
This is the first time there are
double winners since the National Science and Technology
Awards were rebranded as the
President’s Science and Technology Awards in 2009.
The two professors received
gold medals from President
Tony Tan Keng Yam at a ceremony held in the Gardens by the
Bay’s Flower Dome.
The jury praised Nanyang
Technological
University’s
(NTU) Prof Boey, who has developed more than 30 patents, for
fusing his academic and entrepreneurship talents.
One of his inventions is a customisable hernia mesh which
minimises infection after surgery. It was the first of its kind
to be approved for sale by the
United States’ Food and Drug
Administration last December.
Described as “ahead of his
time”, National University of
Singapore’s (NUS) Prof Halliwell
was looking into antioxidants
and free radicals as early as 15
years ago, when he first came to
Singapore from London.
He told The Straits Times:
“When I started, there were only
three people in this area. Now
the results affect a host of things
like nutrition and plant science.”
The President’s Science
Award and President’s Technology Award, which come with
$50,000 and a trophy each,
AHEAD OF HIS TIME
When I started, there
were only three people in
this area. Now the results
affect a host of things like
nutrition and plant
science.
– Prof Barry Halliwell, who was
looking into antioxidants and free
radicals as early as 15 years ago
were also given out at yesterday’s ceremony.
The President’s Science
Award was given to Prof Yu Hao
from NUS for his work in plant
genomics, and to Prof Boris
Luk’yanchuk from the Agency
for Science, Technology and Research (A*Star) for his work on
laser-matter interactions.
The President’s Technology
Award was given to A*Star’s Dr
Li Haizhou, for creating several
technologies for translating
Asian languages like Bahasa
Melayu and Chinese dialects.
President Tan also gave out
the Young Scientist Award to
three researchers under the age
of 35. They were Assistant Professor Qiu Chengwei (NUS), Assistant Professor Yonggui Robin
Chi (NTU) and Dr Khor Chiea
Chuen (NUS and A*Star).
At the ceremony, Second Minister for Trade and Industry, Mr
S. Iswaran, said the Government
remains committed to research
and development, and that it
will look to “grow new sectors
such as medical technology, nutrition and business analytics”.
[email protected]
B5