Online gambling in Singapore has significantly grown over the last decade. In 2021, the government brought in a law that states all casinos in the country are subject to direct regulation by the Ministry of Justice. The law also stipulates a maximum amount of winnings that can be taken from a single gambling machine, up to one percent of the maximum amount wagered on the machine. Additionally, any player involved in online gambling at an establishment within the gambling area of the MJP (Ministry of Gaming and Sports) is subject to criminal record scrutiny. The law also stipulates that all online gambling venues within Singapore are licensed by the MOJ.
While many countries throughout the world have legalized online gambling, Singapore has not. However, it has become more open to the concept of online gambling in Singapore as it has grown into one of the world’s leading economic nations. While the majority of the population remains conservatively traditional when it comes to betting, Singaporean society appears more open than most at the moment. Gambling in Singapore has spread from the traditional card and board games into all forms of gambling that can be conducted online. Poker, bingo, horse racing, slot machines, video poker, and lotto have been legal sports betting in Singapore for some time, but the growth of online gambling in Singapore has been particularly rapid.
One of the reasons why online gambling in Singapore has flourished here is because the government has put in place numerous measures to protect both the players and the casinos. The Gambling Control Act of 1997 grants the authority to set licensing fees, ban abusive practices, and impose anti-competition measures on those that conduct gambling online. The GCA also requires that all online operators of a casino be resident in Singapore or have at least twenty percent local ownership. This protects the gambling outlet from being fraudulent or a front for illegal activity. Additionally, the GCA requires that all advertising for any such business be uniform with the law and that all employees are adequately trained in how to deal with customers to ensure their protection.
Beyond the Gambling Control Act, Singaporean legislation is even stricter when it comes to gambling. For example, Article 11A of the Criminal Law Consolidation Act of Singapore states: “A person who contravenes any provision of this Act or any rule formulated there under, a lawyer, an officer or employee of the regal office, or any other person, who is an agent or attorney of the regal office, his employers, or any person related to him, who gives aid or assistance to him for the execution of his official duties, shall be liable to imprisonment for a period which may not exceed two years.” The same article continues to state that “if a person is convicted under any such provision of this Act, he may be punished by a fine not exceeding one thousand five hundred dollars or by imprisonment for not more than three years or both.” These penalties are in addition to the fines already mentioned which can be imposed by local jurisdictions as part of their respective laws surrounding gambling.
While these penalties and laws attempt to restrict online gambling in Singapore, operators can still go about conducting their business as usual. Operators still must adhere to local and national laws regarding placing bets, handling money, and the operation of gambling facilities. All of these laws are in place in order to uphold the integrity of the Singaporean government and the Singaporean people. If you want to gamble online in Singapore, you need to make sure that you do your homework before you start. Doing research on the operations of different gambling outlets in Singapore will help you learn more about the legal ramifications of your decision to take part in online gambling in Singapore.
As stated before, there are many Singaporean-based gambling sites that cater to a global clientele. In fact, many of these sites are among the most popular in the world. If you live in Singapore, you may want to find out more about some of these sites. In some cases, you will find that they have local offices here in Singapore to handle all transactions and inquiries related to their operation within the country. This allows you to conduct your business with greater privacy and anonymity than if you were to conduct your gambling activities at home or at another location entirely.