Illegal Gambling Sg
Recently in the news, we have been observing a quiet increase in people being caught for illegal betting and gambling in singapore.
Where exactly does the law draw the line in terms of when a friendly poker game between friends (whether online or in someone’s home) becomes illegal? We hope to leave you with a bit of clarity here, so you don’t knowingly break the law the next time you decide whether or not to join your ‘kaki’ for some mahjong.
Mahjong with Family and Friends
Generally, if you are playing mahjong at home with friends and family, or games involving stakes and odds with money exchanged, it may not be considered illegal gambling. This is seen in the landmark case of Chua Seong Soi v Public Prosecutor [2000] SGHC 195, where our (then) Chief Justice ruled that a game of mahjong between friends is not illegal gambling, but seen as a form of recreation.
Singapore News - More Singapore residents are gambling, with those aged 18 to 29 showing the biggest jump, from 28 per cent in 2014 to 41 per cent last year. The study by the National Council on.
- Illegal gambling websites are targeting punters in Singapore and other countries by offering the option of betting on the daily number of cases. The New Paper found at least five such sites, all of which have a similar betting interface.
- SINGAPORE — More than 120 people have been arrested for illegal online gambling since the Remote Gambling Act came into effect on Feb 2 last year. Since then, the Ministry of Home Affairs has also.
Where the line is drawn
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However, if the unit is dedicated solely to gambling (as defined under Section 2 of the Common Gaming Houses Act: any place kept or used for gaming to which the public or any class of the public has or may have access, and any place kept for habitual gaming), it will be in violation of the act. The owner or operator of such a ‘gaming house’ can be fined between S$5,000 and S$50,000, and jailed for up to 3 years.
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If you are found to be participating in such a ‘gaming house’, you can be fined up to S$5,000 or jailed up to 6 months.
In addition to this, if you are found guilty of this offence during this period between 7 April 2020 and 1 June 2020, you will also be in violation of Section 6 of the COVID-19 (Temporary Measures) Act and may be fined up to S$10,000 or jailed for up to 6 months or both!
If you are charged or under investigation for such offences, you should consult a criminal defence lawyer immediately to know your legal rights and explore the possible options moving forward. Our team of experienced criminal defence lawyers at Gloria James-Civetta & Co will guide and navigate you through these complex legal situations.
Possible reasons for increased offences
It is no coincidence that the rates of recent ‘den busts’ making the news have significantly increased. Due to Circuit Breaker measures, which have been introduced to prevent the spread of COVID-19, a lot more people are stuck at home with nothing much to do.
Worse, online gambling provides an avenue for gamblers who will always find a way to gamble, especially given the closure of Singapore Pools during this period.
We also note that Circuit Breaker has affected innocent citizens in other ways, for example, those who have lost their jobs or income due to lay-offs and companies contracting. For these people, unfortunately, gambling becomes a way to earn their livelihood. In these situations, gambling is really not the answer.
Rather, these people could explore their options in terms of the various government subsidies available to them. They are also urged to approach the National Council on Problem Gambling for additional support if theirs is indeed a serious addiction.
Last Updated: October 12, 2014 – Singapore Parliament issued a ban for online gambling in citing protectionism of their youth in this “Remote Gambling Bill”. The bill has now passed and is requiring ISP blocks to betting sites. It is now considered illegal to play casino/poker/sports style betting on the internet with a S$5,000 fine and/or up to 6 months in jail. The following text below was prior to this Act, online gambling is now illegal aside from certain lotteries.
Before Gambling Became Illegal
Singapore is a gambling friendly country although it offers limited legal gambling options. The country’s gambling laws, being old and outdated, do not apply to online gambling and gambling experts say that the country has to legalize and regulate online gambling to protect vulnerable people such as gambling addicts, underage players, and problem gamblers, to discourage criminal activities, and to create a safe and fair gambling environment for its citizens. So far, Singapore has not created such laws.
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Legal Gambling in Singapore
The lack of effective gambling laws in Singapore does not mean that its citizens are deprived of the pleasures of gambling in a licensed and well-regulated environment. Those fond of betting on sports events can avail of the services of Singapore Pools, a bookie service operated by the government. Singapore Pools accepts bets on national as well as international sports events either online or through telephone or mobile devices.
The Singapore Turf Club, which was launched as the Singapore Sporting Club in 1842, is another exciting option for sports bettors as it accepts bets on a wide range of international and national horse racing events.
Singapore also has a couple of licensed casinos, which offer a wide range of casino games, including poker.
Gambling Laws
Singapore has two important gambling laws — the Common Gaming Houses Act and the Betting Act. Both make it illegal for private companies and individuals to operate online as well as land-based bookie businesses within the country. According to these laws, the only legal way to bet on sports and horse racing events is to do so at either The Turf Club or The Singapore Pools.
The Betting Act was enacted in 1960 to curb illegal bookie businesses and to make the act of sports betting in public places illegal. The Common Gaming Houses Act was passed in 1961 with the same objective. Seven years later, the government created a monopoly called The Singapore Pools, which began offering lottery games, sweepstakes, and Toto. In 1999 and 2008, the government began permitting betting on football matches and Formula One racing events, respectively.
Casinos in Singapore
Casinos were legalized in Singapore only in 2006. Before that, Singapore had a small government-owned casino in Changi International Airport, which was launched to generate revenue from foreign tourists who had to pass through the airport.
In 2006, Singapore enacted its Casino Control Act, which permitted the establishment of two full-fledged brick-and-mortar casinos in the country. These casinos, called the Resorts World and the Marina Bay Sands, are regulated by the Casino Regulatory Authority of Singapore.
Online Sports Betting
Though legalized, online sports betting is heavily restricted in Singapore, as a result of which the country’s only legal online sportsbook is The Singapore Pools. Interestingly, there is nothing to stop citizens of Singapore from registering at offshore online bookies such as Bet365, William Hill, and Ladbrokes.
The two major gambling laws of Singapore, the Common Gaming Houses Act and the Betting Act, were enacted long before the days of the Internet. They, therefore, do not apply to any form of online or mobile gaming. There is no statement in Singapore’s law books, which specifically says that it is illegal for residents to bet on sports events at offshore online sportsbooks. This leaves citizens free to use the services of offshore online bookies.