Warning sounded

A group of friends should decide how often they play mahjong, to avoid such sessions having a negative impact on financial resources and personal well-being, he said.

Lim also advised players to set wagers within their means. He said the "vicious circle" of playing more to recoup losses can quickly get out of control when debt is involved.

Lee, the undergraduate, only plays the game with close friends and sets modest, friendly wagers.

For Joanna Sim, a game of low-stakes mahjong remains the best way to spend quality time with her loved ones.

"Were it not for mahjong, I probably wouldn't have spent as much time as I have with my family and friends," she said.

With more young people taking up mahjong, what should lovers of the game bear in mind to keep on the right side of the law?

Singapore's Ministry of Home Affairs said that according to the Common Gaming Houses Act, gambling in public places is a criminal offense.

"Social gambling among family and friends, such as playing mahjong with monetary stakes in private places, is not criminalized under the act," the ministry added.

Gloria James, head lawyer at law firm Gloria James-Civetta& Co, said the act makes it illegal to gamble in a common gaming house, which is defined as a place accessible to the public or kept for habitual gaming.

She said the trend of online mahjong groups being used to recruit new players may be considered illegal if the invitation is open to the public and the newcomers are strangers.

Those found guilty of managing or assisting in managing a common gaming house can be fined between 5,000 and 50,000 Singapore dollars ($3,763 to $37,633) and be imprisoned for up to three years. Those convicted of gaming in a common gaming house can be fined up to 5,000 Singapore dollars, imprisoned for up to six months, or both.

James said the police will also assess whether the premises are kept primarily for gambling.

"Even if the private gambling sessions are held frequently, there is only criminal liability if the premises are kept primarily for the purpose of gambling," she added.

In Singapore, at least six expatriate associations have mahjong groups.

Sue Chamberlain, the mahjong group coordinator for the Australian and New Zealand Association, or Anza, organizes weekly sessions for more than 100 members and also teaches the game to newcomers.

The 59-year-old learned to play mahjong nearly 16 years ago, when she moved to Singapore with her Australian husband, who is a research and design manager.

Discussing the game's appeal, she said: "You can have four players with different skill levels and still enjoy it. One of the beauties of mahjong is that your mistakes and victories are your own."

Western-style mahjong is played by most expatriate groups in Singapore.

Chamberlain said the Western version has at least 120 winning combinations known as "hands", and every hand has a name such as "dragon's breath" or "sunset".

The tiles come with English words and players have to declare that they are "fishing"－meaning they need only one more tile to win.

Before the pandemic emerged, the Anza group hosted weekly mahjong games at a restaurant on Robertson Quay, an upstream wharf area near the source of the Singapore River. There were two to nine tables each time.

The restaurant also used to host mahjong sessions for the American Women's Association, or AWA, and the British Association of Singapore.

Chamberlain now hosts weekly sessions of the game at home for a maximum of eight friends from Anza, who come from countries such as the Netherlands, France and South Africa.

Evening sessions

Despite social distancing measures due to the pandemic, more members are playing mahjong. A rising number of male players have started to take up the game after Chamberlain launched evening sessions two months ago to enable working partners to play the game together.

For Vishali Midha, mahjong chair of the AWA, the game is a good way to make friends and it also provides insights into Chinese culture. She learned to play Chinese-style mahjong seven years ago in Shanghai and switched to the Western version a year later.

"Chinese mahjong is usually played by seasoned players who are very fast, so it is more stressful," said Vishali, who is in her early 40s.

Last month, to mark the Hindu festival of Holi, she invited friends from the AWA to her home to play with colored powders before a mahjong session.

"When there is a festival around the corner, we try to set themes for our mahjong sessions. It lets you learn a little of the different cultures," she said.

The AWA mahjong group has 134 members from countries such as the United States, Spain and Italy. About eight new players join each month.

Chamberlain said there is a steady stream of Anza members keen to learn the game.

"New people are always arriving and looking to explore Singapore and learn something special like mahjong, so that one day when we leave the city, we can take a little bit of Asia with us," she said.