Gamblers turn Hougang void deck into 'mini casino'

A new Singapore Pools outlet in Hougang? Not exactly.

A crowd has been spotted gathering at the void deck of Block 119 Hougang Avenue 1 every weekend for horse-betting, much to the chagrin of residents.

Even though there were no local horse races on Sunday (Apr 9), several middle-aged men were still seen getting together at the same spot to bet on races in Hong Kong, Malaysia, South Africa and more. "Bookies" were also supposedly present.

A Shin Min Daily News reporter who visited the scene at around 3pm saw over 10 men and women sitting and standing at the block to watch live broadcasts of the races.

Someone was also seen approaching a woman in a blue shirt and passing her $50. After accepting the money, the woman recorded it down with a pen and a piece of paper.

Besides having cash, handphones, horse racing forms and gambling paraphernalia around, there were also beer bottles, mugs and a bottle of spirits worth more $100 on the table, with an ice bucket next to it.

The gamblers appeared alert and wary of strangers, reported Shin Min.

Residents said that the crowd would be there from morning to night, turning the area into a "mini casino". Some would also smoke.

While the group is not usually noisy, residents are concerned about the negative influence this would have on children.

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