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Singapore is one of the strictest countries when it comes to gambling laws, especially in the online space. The Remote Gambling Act of 2014 was introduced to protect citizens from the dangers of unregulated betting. Under this law, almost all forms of online casinos are banned, and both operators and players can face penalties.
The only legal exception is Singapore Pools, a government-run operator that allows sports betting and lottery games. No private companies are licensed to run online casinos in Singapore.
What Gambling Options Are Legal in Singapore?
Even though online casinos are illegal, there are still some legal ways to gamble in Singapore:
- Land-based casinos: Singapore has two world-class integrated resorts Marina Bay Sands and Resorts World Sentosa. These venues offer slot machines, poker, roulette, blackjack, and more. However, Singapore citizens and permanent residents must pay an entry levy of SGD 150 per day or SGD 3,000 per year, while tourists can enter for free.
- Singapore Pools: This is the only legal online platform for sports betting and lotteries. You can access it through its official website and app.
- Singapore Turf Club: The Turf Club operates horse racing bets legally, both online and offline.
- Social casinos: These are platforms where you play with virtual coins instead of real money. They offer the experience of casino games but do not involve actual gambling, making them legal in Singapore.
Dangers of Using Offshore Casinos
Despite the restrictions, some players still try to access foreign casino websites. This comes with serious risks:
- Legal punishment: Players caught gambling illegally can be fined up to SGD 5,000 or jailed for six months.
- Blocked services: The government regularly blocks unlicensed sites and payment transactions.
- Lack of safety: Offshore platforms are not regulated, so you risk unfair games, scams, and stolen personal data.
- No gambling support: Unlike local platforms, unlicensed casinos don’t provide self-exclusion or addiction help services.
How Singapore’s Gambling Market Changed
For many years, gambling was almost completely banned in Singapore. Things changed in 2005, when the government decided to open the market to boost tourism and the economy. This led to the creation of the Integrated Resort model, with Marina Bay Sands and Resorts World Sentosa opening in 2010.
To reduce social risks, entry fees were introduced for residents, while tourists could gamble freely.
When online gambling started becoming popular, Singapore introduced the Remote Gambling Act in 2014, shutting down most online casinos and restricting legal betting to Singapore Pools and the Turf Club.
More recently, in 2022, the Gambling Regulatory Authority (GRA) was formed. This body oversees both land-based and online gambling and even looks at newer digital issues like loot boxes in video games.
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