Lim: Fewer Tuesday special draws
government is planning to reduce special draws for numbers forecast operators by next year to reduce social problems related to gambling.
Finance Minister Lim Guan Eng said the new policy would be announced in the 2019 Budget on Nov 2.
“The reduction in the number of special draws is the first step by the government to reduce gambling activities so that they do not create social problems like gambling addiction.
“That is why the government has no intention to approve any new licence to increase gambling activities, such as sports betting gambling, to Ascot Sports Sdn Bhd or any other gambling operators,” he said during the question-and-answer session in the Dewan Rakyat yesterday.
Gambling companies operating such draws include Magnum Corporation Sdn Bhd, Sports Toto Malaysia Sdn Bhd, Pan Malaysian Pools Sdn Bhd (Da Ma Cai), Sarawak Turf Club, Sandakan Turf Club and Diriwan Corporation Sdn Bhd.
Lim said the special lottery draws were approved by the government as an addition to the ordinary draws.
“This year, 22 special draws were approved and conducted simultaneously on the same dates nationwide,” he said.
Lim was responding to a question by Wong Shu Qi (Pakatan Harapan-Kluang) who had asked whether the government planned to allow numbers forecast operators to hold special draws every Tuesday from next year onwards.