Singapore - A Singapore businessman who lost 4.4 million dollars in Las Vegas and then left the US was ordered by court to pay his debt in a landmark ruling that could impact future SIngapore casino debt recovery, The Strait Times said Friday. Poh Soon Kit, who was said to be in his 50s, returned to Singapore after gambling away millions at Las Vegas casino Caesars Palace, over a six-year period that began in 1992.
Singapore's high court ordered Poh on Tuesday to abide by a 1999 US court ruling and cough up the cash.
The court set a new precedent as previously gambling debts incurred in non Commonwealth countries could not be recovered in Singapore.
Judge Chan Seng Onn ordered Poh to pay the casino as he did not think it made much sense that a Singaporean had to pay a debt incurred in a Commonwealth country but can walk away if he did it somewhere else.
The ruling has implications for Singapore's two soon-to-be opened casinos, with lawyers saying other countries could be more willing to reciprocate and help Singapore casinos in the future to recover debt incurred by foreigners after this precedent.
Lawyers also said the ruling puts local gamblers on notice that that they can be sued for gambling debts anywhere in the world.
Poh has filed an appeal against the judgment.
