A national survey in 2004 by the Ministry of Community Development, Youth and Sports (MCYS) found that 58% of adult Singaporeans engaged in gambling activities during the past 12 months, making gambling a fairly common activity among Singaporeans. The survey also found that 2.1% of adult Singaporeans can be classified as probable pathological gamblers (or likely to be gambling addicts), indicating that problem gambling is already something that exists and needed to be addressed.

In response to this, during the parliamentary debates on the Integrated Resorts in April 2005, the Minister for Community Development, Youth and Sports, Dr Vivian Balakrishnan announced a comprehensive national framework to tackle gambling problems. This national framework was to apply to all forms of gambling and comprised 6 components:

1. National Council on Problem Gambling

2. Public Education on Problem Gambling

3. Counselling and Support Services at the Community Level

4. Professional Medical Treatment for Compulsive Gamblers

5. Research on Gambling

6. Regulation and Enforcement of the Gambling Industry