Things to Know About Online Gambling in Singapore
Posted by Kristina on October 23rd, 2017
For a substantially long time span it was considered that permitting online gambling in Singapore could lead to degradation of the society and traditional values. Fact remains that gambling was still popular in the country and many people entered MBS and RWS casinos despite 0 levy imposed on them for gambling. Things worsened for interested gamblers when under the law of the land online gambling was outlawed in 2014. Despite the resultant hue and cry the lawmakers stood firm in their decision in making the online gambling in Singapore illegal. For the time being it seemed to be the end of the road for interested gamblers and betting lovers.
Scenario of Online Gambling in Singapore Changes
However the scenario changed in the year 2016 only two years after online gambling was declared illegal. The lawmakers had a change of mind and decided to legalize the online betting in Singapore. However the legalization was only for the local operators in the country, namely the Singapore Pools and the Singapore Turf Club. The decision was not without reasons either. Government wanted to have a share of the gambling money floating in online and offline casino games. That means not only the gamblers and casino houses would benefit from installed jackpot machine in Singapore but the government would also earn some revenue in the process. Considering the huge amount of money rolling in the gambling zones, the income was supposed to be huge as well. That is why the government had decided that only local operators are authorized to conduct online casino games as they did not desire the overseas operators usurp the money floating in the gaming zone. The law enforcement authorities ensured that even accidental participation in illegal gambling could cost the participants’ fine up to 00 and imprisonment up to 6 months or both.
When Participation in Online Gambling is Illegal
Danger in online gambling is that it overlaps all geographical and ethnic boundaries. Even if the jackpot machine in Singapore is local the online gambling becomes illegal when it is operated by operators other than Singapore Pools or the Singapore Turf Club. Hence the legal gambling is possible only on the websites of these two operators and not others. Playing gambling games online on overseas websites is also illegal under the revised law of the land in Singapore. Also under the Remote Gambling Act 2014 any type of remote gambling is prohibited for the residents of Singapore. It is not only gambling on the Internet but also via phone, TV or radio or for that matter any kind of communication technologies is prohibited. It becomes very difficult for the gamblers to carry on online sports book betting in such cases as they cannot move beyond the two approved websites.
Bottom line of all these is that whether a gambler is approaching online casino games or any other type of betting including the highly popular online sports book betting, the process becomes illegal if the operator is not approved under the law of the land. There are only two; the Pools and the Turf Club and any gambling activity is to be channelized through them.
