Singapore: 18 arrested for illegal gambling
Police in Bedok and Changi have carried out raids against alleged illegal gambling operations.
Singapore.- Police have carried out two separate raids to dismantle alleged illegal gambling operations in Bedok and Changi. The first raid ended with the arrest of nine men who were allegedly taking bets physically and online. Those arrested were aged between 52 and 76.
A second raid was carried out on Changi Road. Police arrested eight men and a woman who were allegedly involved in illegal gambling activities. During the raid, police seized gambling paraphernalia and mobile phones.
In Singapore, bookmakers may be fined $20,000 to $200,000 and can be sentenced to a maximum of five years in jail. Those who place bets with a bookmaker may be fined up to $5,000 and receive up to six months in jail, or both.
In March, the Singapore parliament approved the Gambling Regulatory Authority of Singapore Bill and the Gambling Control Bill. The former will create the Gambling Regulatory Authority (GRA) as a single regulator for all forms of gambling. Singapore hopes the new regulator will be in place for mid-year.
The second bill makes it a criminal offence for under-aged individuals to gamble, “regardless whether with legal or unlawful operators” and for under-aged individuals to enter gambling areas, “except where entry checks are not required”.
Under the new bill, the legal age for gambling in Singapore will remain 21, except for gambling at Singapore Pools’ physical outlets which will remain at 18.
