Reports in Malaysia are claiming that humble family cruise ships are in fact an elaborate ploy. Apparently they are actually floating casinos and have been all along. They’re able to do so as they locate themselves in international water and are therefore free from prosecution but the authorities are now cracking down.
GamingZion reports that before Singapore opened their two casinos that thousands of people visited the Singapore-owned ships on a daily basis.
A local, named only Wang, revealed, “About 300 to 500 go to the gambling ships every day. Some people even spend two or three days aboard the ships to gamble. There are other things on the ships, girls and karaoke, spas and dancing, but everyone go just for gambling or to bet on sports in Malaysia.”
It sounds like it was basically little Sin City but on a boat and with anyone attending getting free food, drink, and accommodation you see why they’re popular.
A Maritime Enforcement Agency Official, Admiral Zulkifli Abu Bakar, also explained, “The ship operators are smart and they use the loopholes in the law. So, there is not much that the authorities can do to stop their activities.
“What most of these ships do is sail through the traffic separation zone for Malaysia, Singapore and Indonesia. This helps them to evade local laws.”
A prison term of three years as well as a RM50,000 fine is promised to anyone found aboard the ships. The cruises are entitled “Cruise to Nowhere” so surely if they think that the time has come when they are going to be detected they could simply sail away to nowhere and hide for a bit.
