Interpretation

In this Act, unless the context otherwise requires, “common gaming house” includes, (a) any place kept or used for gambling, to which the public or any class of the public has or may have access; and (b) any place kept for habitual gambling, whether the public or any class of the public has or may have access thereto or not; and (c) any place kept or used for the purpose of a public lottery, but does not include a non- proprietary club registered under the Clubs (Registration) Act, Cap. 312, in which the primary object is that it may be used as an ordinary social club, and where playing at cards is allowed but is merely incidental and ancillary to that primary object, Provided that a place shall be deemed to be “used” for gambling if it is used for that purpose even on one occasion only; “gamble” means to play at or to engage in any game of chance, or pretended game of chance, for money or money’s worth, 5 and the expression “gambling” shall have a corresponding meaning; “instruments or appliances for gambling” include all articles which are used in or for the purpose of gambling; “occupier” means any person in actual occupation of the whole or any part of any house, building, yard or other place; “owner” means the person for the time being receiving or entitled to receive the rents of any house, building, yard or other place, or his agent, and shall include joint tenants and tenants in common; “place” means any house, building, room, office, shed, tent, hut and any place or area, whether open or enclosed and includes any ship, boat or other vessel whether afloat or not and any vehicle; “valuable thing” includes any promise, verbal or in writing, conditional or absolute, to pay or give any valuable thing.