Inside Asian Gaming

IAG AUG 2020年8月 亞博匯 16 亞博匯早報 BREAKFAST BRIEFS PUBLIC POLICY BEHIND SINGAPORE COURT RULING IN AU$43 MILLION VIP GAMBLING DEBT CASE 新加坡法院就一筆4300萬澳元賭 債做出基於公共政策目的的裁決 SINGAPORE’S International Commercial Court has revealed that its 2019 ruling against Australia’s Star Entertainment Group in its quest to recoup AU$43.2 million (US$30 million) from a Singaporean businessman who refused to repay his gambling debts was due to public policy aimed at protecting Singapore’s interests. The case, described as the largest casino debt case ever filed with a Singapore court, had seen the Australian casino operator pursue 55-year-old Wong Yew Choy for money he lost on the VIP tables at The Star Gold Coast in 2018. Wong alleged that a senior casino executive promised he would not be liable for his losses up until 29 July 2018 due to mistakes made by a baccarat dealer, nor would he be liable for any future losses if further mistakes were made. When another mistake was made on 1 August, Wong immediately stopped playing, he claimed. Also in dispute was the nature of The Star Gold Coast’s loan to Wong. According to Star Entertainment Group, Wong requested and was given a check cashing facility for AU$40 million, which was later increased by another AU$10 million. Wong said he did not make any such request and was instead offered the AU$40 million credit directly. Wong gave Star Entertainment Group a blank check on arrival which the company later filled out, only to find that Wong had cancelled the check upon his return to Singapore. In grounds for the decision released on 7 July, Singapore International Commercial Court judge Jeremy Cooke expressed little compassion for Wong but explained that Singapore’s Civil Law Act specifically denies the enforcement of gambling debts accrued in foreign jurisdictions. 新加坡 的國際商務法院透露，於2019年作出的一 項不利澳洲星億娛樂集團的裁決是為了保護新加 坡的利益。星億娛樂集團當時希望從一名新加坡 商人身上收回一筆後者拒絕償還、合共4320萬坡 元(3000萬美元)的賭債。 該案件被形容為有史以來向新加坡法院入 稟的最大一宗賭債案。星億娛樂集團這個澳洲娛 樂場營運商向55歲的Wong Yew Choy追討他在 2018年於The Star Gold Coast內的貴賓賭枱上輸 掉的金錢。 Wong聲稱一名賭場高層向他承諾過，不需要 對在2018年7月29日以前由於一名百家樂荷官犯 錯而輸掉的金錢負責，亦不需要為往後在別人犯 錯下導致他輸掉的金錢負責。當另一個錯誤於8月 1日發生時，Wong聲稱他立即停止了賭博。 另一個爭議點在於The Star Gold Coast 向Wo n g提供借貸的性質。根據星億娛樂集 團，Wong曾要求並且獲得了4000萬澳元的透支 額，並且在其後獲得額外提高1000萬澳元。Wong 說他並沒有作此要求，而是被直接給予4000萬澳 元的借貸。 Wong之後給了星億娛樂集團一張沒有填 寫銀碼的支票，但當該公司兌現支票時，才發現 Wong已經在回到新加坡後取消了該張支票。 在7月7日公佈的判決理由中，新加坡國際商 業法院法官Jeremy Cooke對Wong Yew Choy幾 乎並無同情，其解釋稱，新加坡法律明確否認執行 在外國司法管轄區產生的賭債。