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A LITTLE room in AMK Hub is fast becoming a favourite haunt for middle-aged folks with cash and time to spare.
But the jackpot facility run by NTUC Club is also attracting flak from conservative heartland residents and shoppers, who are concerned about the impact on students from nearby schools who hang out at the popular mall.
The jackpot facility, which houses 40 fruit machines, is located on level four and stands beside the cineplex and arcade centre. Access is restricted to members and sign-in guests, who must be above 18.
When Today checked out the facility at lunchtime on Wednesday, it was enjoying brisk business from middle-aged men and women as well as young working professionals.
It also turned the heads of teens — some in school uniform — who were making their way to the cinema and game machines. Some of them opened the facility's doors for a peek.
Salesman Neo Tze Siang, 27, felt there was no place for a gambling outlet in the "family oriented" AMK Hub.
He said: "The jackpot room is next to establishments where youths go. It will certainly arouse curiosity in passersby."
Others disagreed. Said engineer Steven Loo, 48: "There are restrictions to make sure it's accessible only to members."
The jackpot facility was meant to be part of the NTUC Club's new clubhouse at AMK Hub. Contractual issues had delayed the clubhouse's construction, originally due to be completed in March. But NTUC Club decided to open the jackpot facility first.
Next month, when the clubhouse is completed, said spokesman Stanley Wong, the facility will blend into the overall design. A red banner with the word "Jackpot" was removed from above the facility's entrance yesterday morning.
This is the fourth jackpot facility in residential areas set up over 12 years by NTUC Club, after Pasir Ris, Choa Chu Kang and Bishan. It also operates a jackpot room at Amara Shopping Centre in Tanjong Pagar.
Said Mr Wong: "This is not the first jackpot facility in the heartlands. We have always been very mindful of putting in place safeguards, especially in the admissions criteria. In a month's time, the public can be assured the jackpot facility will appear less prominent."
Other social clubs such as Safra and the Automobile Association of Singapore also operate jackpot rooms. But these are in less prominent locations, and the membership reach may not be as wide as NTUC Club, which caters to at least 500,000 union members.
Mr Seng Han Thong, the Member of Parliament for Yio Chu Kang — in which the AMK Hub is located — told Today his grassroots leaders would "monitor the situation closely".
The concerns of residents concerns were "natural and valid", he said, adding that the NTUC Club had given assurances of "very strict checks" on patrons' age, and that staff had been trained to identify gambling addicts for counselling.
While the AMK Hub location was "not ideal", gambling is already prevalent and accessible here, noted Ms Debra Soon, chairman of the National Council on Problem Gambling's youth sub-committee.
The objective, she said, is to ensure "responsible gambling practices" and that the Responsible Gambling Code of Practice is adhered to. TODAY/rose
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