Singapore sees sharp rise in gambling exclusions among foreign workers
The number of foreign workers excluded from Singapore Pools’ online betting and jackpot rooms increased fivefold between 2022 and 2024.
Singapore.- The number of foreign workers excluded from certain gambling activities in Singapore has increased sharply in recent years, according to data from the National Council on Problem Gambling (NCPG). Around 24,000 foreigners were excluded from Singapore Pools’ online betting in 2024, up from about 4,100 in 2022. Exclusions from jackpot machine rooms also rose from around 5,100 to 28,000 over the same period.
NCPG said the growth is largely linked to employers using exclusions as a preventive measure. Since 2022, employers have been allowed to exclude workers from a wider range of gambling activities. For casino exclusions, about two-thirds are made by employers seeking to protect their workers from gambling-related harm.
Casino exclusions remain much higher in absolute terms, at around 155,000 foreigners a year. That figure has remained relatively stable in recent years. About 90 per cent of excluded foreigners are work-permit holders, a group that includes many migrant workers and migrant domestic workers. An exclusion generally prevents a person from taking part in the relevant gambling activity for at least one year.
